Is Google backing off the expansion of its Google TV platform? Google has asked TV makers to delay the introduction of Google TV products so the company can refine its software, according to the New York Times.

The request - made just weeks before the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas next month - has thrown some manufacturers off guard, the Times said. Some companies - like Toshiba, LG Electronics and Sharp - were prepping to show off Google TV sets.

When asked for comment, Google did not specifically address the request to delay the rollout of Google TV device.

"We are very happy with the launch of Google TV with our initial partners Sony, Logitech and Intel," Google said. "Our long term goal is to collaborate with a broad community of consumer electronics manufactures to help drive the next generation, TV-watching experience, and we look forward to working with other partners to bring more devices to market in the coming years."

The Times said that Google TV is plagued with the same delays that have prevented the release of some Android-based tablets: lackluster software. Google also struggles with partnerships.

"Google as a company is not a particularly partner-friendly or partner-focused company," James L. McQuivey, an analyst at Forrester, told the Times.

Google is currently available on Sony TVs, Blu-ray players, and a Logitech set-up box. The products made their debut in October, but there have been reports of sluggish sales. Nonetheless, major manufacturers like Samsung have expressed an interest in adding Google TV to their products.

Will the companies comply with Google's request? We'll have to wait until January at CES, where Toshiba, LG, Sharp, and Samsung will all be unveiling new products.

For more details on Google TV, see PCMag's full review of the Logitech Revue, a hands on with Sony's Google TV Blu-ray Player and HDTV, and the slideshow below.