Smart Home (connected home, home networking) News

Netgem powers triple-play bundle from Lothian Broadband
Nov 3, 2022 – In partnership with Netgem, Lothian Broadband Networks Limited (LBNL) is offering not only TV but also voice alongside its ultrafast fibre broadband. Netgem worked with Netsapiens to enable LBNL to move from single to triple play in a matter of weeks.
News categories: Netgem, Lothian Broadband, Netsapiens, Sylvain Thevenot, Gavin Rodgers, Digital TV, IPTV, Smart Home, UK

ZEASN debuts WhalePay payment service
Nov 4, 2022 – ZEASN has released a global payment service, WhalePay. Specializing in the smart home market, the real-time payment service tackles the problem of corporate international payments, empowering more enterprises to expand to overseas markets.
News categories: ZEASN, Suriko Wei, Smart Home, Worldwide

Apple introduces next-generation Apple TV 4K
Oct 18, 2022 – Apple has announced the next generation of Apple TV 4K. HDR10+ support joins Dolby Vision on the now lower cost device. Running tvOS, featuring the Siri Remote, Apple TV 4K simplifies the way users discover content.
News categories: Apple TV, Bob Borchers, Digital TV, Middleware, Set Top Box, Smart Home, Streaming, USA, Worldwide

Roku to launch Smart Home product line with Walmart
Oct 12, 2022 – Roku (NASDAQ: ROKU) and Walmart (NYSE: WMT) have launched smart home products from Roku, including security cameras, video doorbells, lighting, plugs, and more, to be available exclusively in Walmart stores.
News categories: Roku, Walmart, Mustafa Ozgen, Mark Robins, Laura Rush, Digital TV, Smart Home, USA

Smart Home device growth slows along with global economy, says IDC
Oct 3, 2022 – According to IDC, consumer buying continues to cool as macroeconomic issues persist. Smart home device shipments are expected to remain at 897.4 million with major categories such as smart speakers and TVs facing single digit declines.
News categories: IDC, Jitesh Ubrani, Adam Wright, Digital TV, Market Research, Smart Home, Worldwide

Smart speaker shipments exceeded 33 million in 2Q 2022
Sep 28, 2022 – The US smart speaker market continued to contract during 2Q22, posting a decline of 14% year-over-year (YoY) according to Omdia’s latest quarterly smart speaker tracker.
News categories: Omdia, Teik Chuan Goh, Digital TV, Market Research, Smart Home, USA, Worldwide

Hisense selects Synaptics processor for AI-enabled always-on voice remote
Sep 9, 2022 – Synaptics (Nasdaq: SYNA) has announced that Hisense has selected Synaptics' DBM10L processor with dedicated neural processing unit (NPU) to implement an AI-enabled always-on voice (AOV) remote control unit (RCU).
News categories: Synaptics, Hisense, Venkat Kodavati, Shay Kamin Braun, Digital TV, IBC2023, Semiconductor, Smart Home, Smart TV, UX, Worldwide

Liberty Global and Nuance expand voice-enabled TV services in the UK
Sep 8, 2022 – Liberty Global has expanded its use of Nuance Dragon TV for Virgin Media O2 customers in the United Kingdom. The expansion includes new capabilities that provide enhanced support for visually impaired customers, such as reading aloud program information.
News categories: Nuance, Liberty Global, Tony Lorentzen, Pieter Vervoort, Digital TV, Smart Home, UK, UX

Nex, Amlogic & SEI collaborate on motion entertainment set-top-box
Sep 6, 2022 – Nex, Amlogic and SEI have cooperated to pre-launch a motion entertainment set-top-box. Features include Nex Motion content, 4K, Android TV OS and a camera to provide users with immersive motion entertainment experiences on TVs.
News categories: SEI Robotics, Nex, Amlogic, Jeff Yin, David Lee, Digital TV, IBC2023, Semiconductor, Set Top Box, Smart Home, Worldwide