Orange brings its new social TV app to the UK - TVcheck

New app presents exciting opportunities for broadcasting ecosystem to engage and reach audiences; Unique live TV image recognition technology creates connection between broadcast and digital media

LONDON, CANNES — Orange (Paris: FTE; NYSE: FTE) today announces that it will bring its new social TV app, TVcheck, to the UK. The free and simple to use app is available on any network and combines a unique live TV image recognition technology with social and gaming tools to offer a fun, innovative and social way for users to interact around their favourite TV programme. The availability of the TVcheck platform also presents the broadcast ecosystem – TV channels, production companies and TV hosts, with an exciting opportunity to create compelling, interactive content and engagement that generates buzz and excitement around shows and puts broadcasters firmly in the living room of their audiences.

The app, already available in France on the Apple App Store and soon to be available on Android Market Place will also be available to UK consumers in the coming weeks across 25 free-to-access channels, such as the BBC, ITV, Channel 4 and Channel 5 among others.

One of TVcheck’s key features is its unique live TV image recognition technology that allows the user to point their mobile phone at the screen to ‘check-in’ using the camera, with the content being viewed, quickly and accurately identified. This provides an instant link between broadcasting and digital media, with the consumer placed centrally to take advantage of both worlds simultaneously. The process has the added benefit of acting as an ‘authentication’ for the broadcaster that their viewer is watching and engaged.

The app has simple features that enable and stimulate fun viewer interactions such as taking part in live quizzes, earning badges or challenging members to become ‘top dog’ of a specific programme or channel. Additionally, the app provides a seamless connection to social media websites such as Facebook and Twitter allowing consumers to ‘chat’ and socialise while watching TV. TVcheck’s social and gaming features can be adapted to the needs of broadcasters to help them create new and interesting connections between their broadcast and digital content. Brands for example can encourage users to ‘check-in’ to TV or internet video ads giving them access to a bespoke and engaging gaming experience that is aligned to brand values.

Orange has already successfully partnered in France with Channel NT1 (You Can Dance); Channel NRJ12 (Les Anges de la Téléréalité/Angels of Reality TV) and Direct Star (Direct Star sur Scène/Stars are on Stage) to create compelling interactive campaigns to reach and engage their audiences, using TVcheck. Orange intends to form similar partnerships with the UK broadcast ecosystem to maximise the opportunity.

Patrice Slupowski, Vice President, Digital Innovation and Communities, Orange, commented: “the way people consume TV content is shifting dramatically to a multi-device, multi-task, socialised and on-demand consumption pattern. These shifts in behaviour mean that social TV is already a reality for some consumer segments and we expect this trend to grow substantially over the next few years.

“TVcheck occupies a unique position in the market thanks to its technology and features and is open to channels, production companies, TV hosts, and brands to take advantage of. As an established digital innovator, Orange is ideally placed to support the broadcast ecosystem to maximise this opportunity and get closer than ever to their audiences, Patrice continued.”