Google TV gets its first porn channel

Here's something you won't find on Apple TV: Porn. Vivid Entertainment, a Los Angeles-based purveyor of adult entertainment, has unveiled Vivid for Google TV, an app that streams sexually explicit content to Google TV set-top devices.

Now, we normally don't report on the porn biz. But might Vivid's porn app boost interest in Google TV?

Google TV's adult-friendly position is a far cry from Apple's well-documented anti-porn stance. Cupertino has worked diligently over the past few years to purge sex-themed content from its App Store, often with contradictory results that saw some apps slip past the company's puritanical police, if only temporarily.

So if you want to watch porn on your Apple TV set-top, you're out of luck.

Launched last year, Google's effort to bring streaming online content to your big-screen TV has largely flopped thus far. Google recently announced a new and improved version of Google TV, which features a streamlined interface and tools for Android app developers.

It's unlikely that porn apps alone will boost lackluster sales of Google TV hardware, however. Remember, there's no shortage of porn on the Internet. And Android users have long had access to adult-oriented fare. Furthermore, cable providers have quietly (and profitably) rented adult videos to their consumers for years.

In short, your TV has been porn-friendly for years, with or without Google TV and its streaming adult content. It's possible, however, that porn apps will persuade some buyers to choose Google TV over more chaste streaming options, particularly Apple TV and Roku.

Contact Jeff Bertolucci at Today@PCWorld, Twitter (@jbertolucci) or jbertolucci.blogspot.com.