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

Yahoo! and Samsung Form Partnership to Deliver Interactive TV
Nov 5, 2012 – Yahoo! (NASDAQ:YHOO) and Samsung have announced an expanded multi-year partnership to integrate Yahoo!'s Broadcast Interactivity platform into Samsung Smart TVs. Yahoo! Broadcast Interactivity will be deployed in Samsung's SyncPlus platform.
News categories: Yahoo!, Samsung, Digital TV, Middleware, Smart TV, Streaming, USA

Hisense Deploys Espial TV Browser in Japan
Oct 31, 2012 – Espial (TSX:ESP) has announced that the Espial TV Browser has been integrated with Hisense (600060.SH) TVs. The Espial TV Browser will initially be deployed on a variety of Hisense TV models in Japan to provide, among other features, support for the country's BML standard.
News categories: Espial, Hisense, Digital TV, Japan, Middleware, Smart TV

Samsung Adds New Amazon Instant Video App to Smart TVs
Oct 24, 2012 – Samsung America (Seoul: 005930) has announced that Amazon (NASDAQ:AMZN) Instant Video now joins the library of streaming content featured on Samsung TVs. Amazon Instant Video offers access to a library of over 140,000 movies and commercial-free TV shows.
News categories: Samsung, Amazon, Apps, Digital TV, Smart TV, Streaming, USA

Global TV Demand Expected to be Flat in 2013
Oct 24, 2012 – With consumers all over the world facing continued economic uncertainty, global TV demand is expected to be flat in 2013, after shipments of all TV types declined by more than 4% in 2012, to 237M, according to NPD DisplaySearch.
News categories: DisplaySearch, Digital TV, Market Research, Smart TV

Consumer Electronics Industry Announces Ultra High-Definition
Oct 18, 2012 – The next generation of so-called '4K' high-definition display technology for the home will be called 'Ultra High-Definition' or 'Ultra HD,' connoting its superiority over conventional HDTV, according to the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA)®.
News categories: Consumer Electronics Association, CES2025, Smart TV, USA

Pixelworks' MotionEngine™ Processor Powers Tier 1 Korean TV OEM's 4Kx2K Ultra Definition TV
Oct 18, 2012 – Pixelworks (NASDAQ:PXLW) has announced that its MotionEngine™ video processor has been selected by a tier 1 Korean TV OEM to power their first 84" 4Kx2K Ultra Definition (UD) TV that offers an unparalleled immersive home TV experience.
News categories: Pixelworks, Semiconductor, Smart TV

Smart TV Shipments Grow 15% Worldwide in 2012
Oct 17, 2012 – Smart TVs are moving from a novelty to mainstream, with shipments expected to grow 15% worldwide in 2012. With the shift, regional preferences and TV consumption habits are changing, according to the latest DisplaySearch Smart TV Report.
News categories: DisplaySearch, Digital TV, Market Research, Middleware, Smart TV, Streaming

Switzerland's upc cablecom abolishes basic encryption
Oct 16, 2012 – upc cablecom has announced that by 1 January 2013 the 55 most popular TV channels (including HD) will be available in all households unencrypted. The cost of the basic digital offer (currently CHF 4 per month) will no longer apply.
News categories: upc cablecom, Cable TV, Conditional Access, Digital TV, Set Top Box, Smart TV, Switzerland

FCC Relaxes Basic-Tier Cable Encryption Prohibition
Oct 12, 2012 – The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has amended its rules to allow U.S. cable operators to encrypt the basic service tier in all-digital cable systems if they comply with certain consumer-protection measures.
News categories: Federal Communications Commission, Cable TV, CAM, Digital TV, Regulation, Set Top Box, Smart TV, USA