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

Q1-Q3 2020 Smart TV sales up 14% in Germany
Oct 22, 2020 – Around 4.1 million smart TV sets were sold in Germany in the first nine months of 2020 according to GfK Retail & Technology - almost 14 percent more than in the previous year (Q1-Q3 2019: 3.6 million).
News categories: Deutsche TV-Plattform, GfK, Carine Chardon, Digital TV, Germany, Market Research, Set Top Box, Smart TV

Technicolor teams with Google to promote hybrid Android TV devices
Oct 21, 2020 – Technicolor (Paris: TCH, OTCQX: TCLRY) is partnering with Google to accelerate the development and deployment of the Google Broadcast Stack onto a wide array of CPE and CE devices used to access video services.
News categories: Technicolor, Google, Brian Jentz, Shalini Govil-Pai, Android TV, Digital TV, Set Top Box, Smart TV, Worldwide

Deutsche TV-Plattform launches CI+ 2.0 initiative
Oct 21, 2020 – Deutsche TV-Plattform is launching an initiative to prepare a market launch of the new version of the CI Plus Interface - CI+ 2.0. CI Plus modules will be based on USB from version 2.0 onwards.
News categories: Deutsche TV-Plattform, Carine Chardon, CAM, Digital TV, Germany, Smart TV, Worldwide

Ultra HD Forum updates Guidelines and plans watermarking API
Oct 20, 2020 – The Ultra HD Forum has released Version 2.4 of its Guidelines adding more on live OTT distribution, and its online UHD service tracker has received an upgrade. A watermarking API is due before the end of the year.
News categories: Ultra HD Forum, Benjamin Schwarz, Content Distribution, Digital TV, Market Research, Set Top Box, Smart TV, Watermarking, Worldwide

Freeview Play launches on Amazon Fire TV Edition
Oct 12, 2020 – Freeview Play is launching on selected Fire TV Edition TVs, thanks to an agreement between Digital UK and Amazon. Fire TV Edition TVs with Freeview Play will be launching later this year.
News categories: Digital UK, Amazon, Jonathan Thompson, Emma Gilmartin, Digital TV, Middleware, Smart TV, Terrestrial, UK

Record single-quarter TV shipments in 3Q 2020
Oct 8, 2020 – A 20% increase in TV demand in North America, as well as deferred shipments from 1H20 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, added to the third-quarter cyclical upturn, according to TrendForce.
News categories: TrendForce, COVID-19, Digital TV, Market Research, Smart TV, Worldwide

MediaTek MT9602 Smart TV SoC launches with Flipkart in India
Oct 8, 2020 – MediaTek has unveiled a Smart TV SoC MT9602 for 4K HDR displays. The SoC delivers real-time video optimization, with improved picture and audio quality using AI, HDMI 2.1a and global HDR support, and AV1 & AVS2 decoding.
News categories: Mediatek, Flipkart, Mike Chang, Dev Iyer, Digital TV, ICs, India, Semiconductor, Smart TV, Worldwide

BenQ releases True 4K HDR home projectors powered by Android TV
Oct 6, 2020 – BenQ has launched a line of smart home projectors powered by Android TV. The True 4K HDR projectors have built-in access to all the movies, shows, sports, music, and games found on Google Play.
News categories: BenQ, Android TV, Digital TV, Europe, Smart Home, Smart TV, Streaming

TV panel shipments expected to decrease by 6.2% in 2020
Sep 29, 2020 – TV panel shipments in 2020 are projected to reach 267.53 million units, a 6.2% decrease YoY, while shipments by area are projected to increase by 0.7% YoY, coming to 169.6 million square meters, according to TrendForce.
News categories: TrendForce, Jeanette Chan, Digital TV, Market Research, Smart TV, Worldwide