S3, Sofia Digital and O2 collaborate to implement platform independent Mobile TV applications

IBC, Amsterdam — Silicon & Software Systems (S3) and Sofia Digital today announced the delivery of a proof-of-concept Java Mobile TV client to O2 based on the proposed JSR 272 Mobile Broadcast Standard. The solution will be demonstrated later this week at IBC. The objective of the collaboration was to define and implement the essential parts of the proposed JSR 272 API which would enable the delivery of downloadable, operator branded, mobile TV applications, to multiple mobile platforms. O2 sees the work as an important further step in validating its Mobile TV deployment strategy, the ultimate goal of which is the ability to deploy common O2 applications across multiple phone and device segments. Java plays an important role in opening up the low-end and feature phone market, seen as key to mass market adoption.

S3’s onHandTV™ Mobile TV client stack provides the platform independent access to the broadcast content and exposes it through S3’s JSR272 compliant API. Sofia Digital is providing the Sofia Stage® J2ME Mobile TV applications delivering the O2 usage requirements. The proof-of-concept will be demonstrated on a range of O2 branded phones along with other portable devices.

“O2 is a leading player in the developing European mobile TV industry and we were delighted when it chose to use our onHandTV™ DVB-H client software in this proof-of-concept. As Mobile TV moves towards mass market adoption in 2008, the type of work we are engaged in with O2 and Sofia Digital is vital to ensure that S3 has the technologies available to meet the needs of operators and device makers,” said John Maguire, General Manager, Consumer Mobile, Silicon & Software Systems (S3).

“With O2 we had the perfect opportunity to show our expertise in portable Java-based mobile TV applications. We see the adoption of JSR 272 as key to opening up both the device and application developer markets. We are very happy to be working with S3 as their onHandTV™ client provides the perfect platform to validate our Sofia Stage® applications on a range of devices”, said Hannu Anttila, Vice President, Sales & Marketing, Sofia Digital.

“We are delighted with the results of this project”, said Martin Cockerell, Broadcast Strategy Manager, Telefónica O2 Europe. “S3 and Sofia Digital have proven that we can deliver mobile broadcast TV to a wide range of devices while retaining the ability to offer a consistent user interface to the service. This is a significant evolution of our understanding of how mobile TV services can be brought to the mass market,” added Cockerell.

Links: Silicon & Software Systems (S3); Sofia Digital; Telefónica O2 Europe