Russia prepares for HbbTV

We’ve seen strong growth in HbbTV over the last year, not least in Central and Eastern Europe. Poland and the Czech Republic have both launched HbbTV services this year, and Russia has just announced that it plans to launch HbbTV in the first quarter of 2013.

Each of these deployments shows a growing trend towards the harmonisation of digital TV markets, especially in free-to-air systems. The fragmentation that has been endemic in the industry finally seems to be abating, with more broadcasters and network operators choosing to follow HbbTV as a common standard.

There is still some fading debate about whether HbbTV is the best choice for interactive TV services because of supposedly “advanced” features that are missing. However, this debate is now largely irrelevant.  HbbTV was always envisioned as a pragmatic solution that offered rapid time to market while meeting the core needs of broadcasters and device manufacturers. The value of this is being recognised in an ever-increasing number of countries.

Ultimately, the best solution is the one that is widely deployed that also provides off-the-shelf products and economies of scale for consumers, service developers and network operators. As more and more countries adopt HbbTV, the value of HbbTV as a common solution becomes more and more evident.

Interactive TV to boost retailers’ sales

eBay released a report earlier this week highlighting that Interactive TV services will have an increasingly positive influence on retailers’ sales. eBay predicts that by 2014, new technologies will boost revenues by a huge £235m.  Interactive TV will have the most influence with a quarter of people set to use it regularly to shop by the end of 2014.

But the impact of interactive TV on online shopping sales isn’t a given. Instead, it will be dependent on whether consumers become more comfortable with the concept of connected TVs in their living rooms.  On the one hand, there is the potential to open up new revenue opportunities, whereas on the other hand, consumers need their eyes opening to the new role that television can play in the home.

For retailers to cash in on the £750m worth of potential direct sales, they need to avoid getting caught-up in the chicken and egg situation. Consumers won’t rush to shop through their television; they need to be shown how it works and the benefit of shopping via that medium.

We’ve seen slow adoption of the new functionality available in connected TVs, largely due to the poor education around how plugging the internet into the back of your television can enhance the viewing experience.  New technology adoption doesn’t just happen, technology is embraced when people are educated and excited by it.

By Simon Woodward, CEO of digital TV specialist ANT Software