Smart TV (Connected TV, Integrated Digital Television, IDTV) News

HDMI Licensing launches HDMI 2.0 Certification Program
Oct 5, 2015 – HDMI Licensing has announced a Premium HDMI Cable Certification Program. The program tests that the cable can support the 18Gbps bandwidth required by the HDMI 2.0 Specification - a throughput typically needed for video formats such as 4K/UltraHD.
News categories: HDMI Licensing, Jeff Park, Rob Tobias, QoE, Set Top Box, Smart Home, Smart TV, Worldwide

Google announces additional Android TV partners
Oct 1, 2015 – Google has said that Hisense and TCL have been added as Smart TV partners for Android TV. The company also announced that Pace, Sagemcom and Technicolor will manufacture set-top boxes, and that KDDI and Telecom Italia are planning to provide Pay TV services powered by Android TV.
News categories: Google, Android TV, Digital TV, Italy, Japan, Set Top Box, Smart TV, Worldwide

Digital TV Research Newsletter October 2015
Sep 30, 2015 – Digital TV Research has announced the publication of its October 2015 market research newsletter. According to the newsletter, the connected TV set boom is set to continue, and the Eastern Europe, Middle East and Africa OTT TV and video market is to grow by $2.2 billion.
News categories: Digital TV Research, Africa, Blu-ray, Brazil, Digital TV, Europe, Gaming, Korea, Market Research, Middle-East, Set Top Box, Smart TV, Subscribers

ATSC 3.0 Physical Layer elevated to 'Candidate Standard'
Sep 29, 2015 – The Advanced Television Systems Committee has announced that the 'Physical Layer' transmission system for ATSC 3.0 television broadcasting has been elevated to 'Candidate Standard' status. The ATSC TG3 Technology Group approved the ATSC 3.0 Physical Layer Candidate Standard.
News categories: Advanced Television Systems Committee, Mark Richer, ATSC 3, Content Distribution, Digital TV, Set Top Box, Smart TV, Terrestrial, USA

Freeview trade mark licence to be granted only for HD products
Sep 24, 2015 – UK Freeview has announced that the Freeview Trade Mark Licence will only be granted for HD products from the end of 2016. Freeview, alongside Digital UK and the DTG, has been working with television manufacturers and retailers to encourage the take-up of HD.
News categories: Freeview, DTG, Guy North, Richard Lindsay-Davies, Digital TV, Licensing, Set Top Box, Smart TV, Terrestrial, UK

New color technology to comprise 25% of display shipment area in 2020
Sep 21, 2015 – According to IHS (NYSE: IHS), in terms of area wide color gamut flat panel displays are expected to grow from 3% in 2015 to 25% of the display market by 2020, with TV displays making up 52% of sales in 2015 and 86% in 2020.
News categories: IHS Inc, Richard Son, Digital TV, Market Research, Smart TV, Worldwide

UK's Freesat announces technology partnership with LG
Sep 21, 2015 – Freesat, the subscription free satellite TV service in the UK, and LG have announced a strategic partnership to provide the Freesat service on LG’s new and existing satellite enabled smart TVs.
News categories: Freesat, LG Electronics, Matthew Huntington, Andy Mackay, Digital TV, Satellite, Smart TV, UK

Tablets and phones popular for video, but not for live TV
Sep 17, 2015 – New data from Hub Research shows a dramatic growth in the use of tablets and smartphones for TV viewing in the U.S. However, the popularity of mobile devices has not created a demand for streaming live TV to tablets and smartphones.
News categories: Hub Research, Peter Fondulas, Jon Giegengack, Digital TV, Market Research, Mobile, Smart TV, Streaming, USA

Huawei and NetRange to jointly develop Smart TV OTT ecosystem
Sep 14, 2015 – Huawei and NetRange have announced that they will work in partnership to create a joint OTT ecosystem. The two companies agreed to cooperate with a view to providing content-rich OTT ecosystem services, including linear TV streaming, video on demand and cloud gaming.
News categories: NetRange, Huawei, Content Distribution, Digital TV, Set Top Box, Smart TV, Streaming, Worldwide