When it comes to internet connected television, there are no clear leaders and the market is still up for grabs, says former exec of Sling Media. Although many big hitters are in the market, such as Google, Yahoo and Apple. Currently there is no clear frontrunner.

The ex-chief executive of Sling Media Blake Krikorian was speaking at the Allen & Co. media conference in Sun Valley, He said that tv manufacturers such as Sony and Samsung have an opportunity to band together to compete with companies that are developing ways to blend traditional cable programming with Internet content.

He expressed skepticism that Google, in particular, could dominate the market of piping digital television and other Internet content into consumers’ living rooms. Plus he said that it is still an open question whether Apple can grab the market, or whether cable companies or even TV manufacturers will jump in.

Mr. Kirkorian was a central player in the first wave of attempts to connect the Internet and television, founding Sling Media, which makes it possible for users to watch content from their home TVs on mobile phones and computers. He sold Sling Media to EchoStar in 2007 but has continued to advise a number of small and large companies in the digital-media industry.

His comments come as Google is mounting an ambitious attempt to change the way consumers watch TV, joining Apple and other companies that are developing new ways to watch online and, in some cases, traditional TV content on TVs and other software for the living room. Google have announced Google TV, which lets viewers watch and search for tv content using a single, simple interface. The software, which will be available through a separate box or through some Internet connected TVs made by Sony will be released in the next few months.

‘Where is the pricepoint and the launch date?” said Mr. Krikorian. “Google has great technical skills” he said, but it hasn’t proved it can “connect with consumers emotionally.” Television is “not just a search box and it is not an algorithm.”

Yahoo have been in the market for a long time developing their widgets, although these seem to have been superseeded by tv apps which are essentially the same thing.

Although the online tv market may be up for grabs, Apple and Google may have an edge in the fact that they know the internet and they have the advertising budget to reel the customers in.

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