Integrating catch-up services into the EPG

The recent high-profile launches of YouView and Freesat’s new Freetime service in the UK have shifted focus back on to the role that the EPG plays in finding what to watch. Both platforms feature a “backwards EPG”, where users can scroll “back in time” to find programmes on catch-up services as well as seeing what’s on in the future.

There is much to be praised for this approach: a large part of the population still finds it difficult to use the traditional type of catch-up service, because it’s not how they’re used to choosing what to watch. By integrating catch-up services into the guide, that mental barrier gets reduced and makes catch-up TV part of their normal viewing experience.

However, the question that then starts to emerge is “will the grid-based EPG soon have had its day?”
There’s a lot of inertia behind the use of the grid-based EPG (among users and manufacturers), as the amount of available content increases. But, it’s still not really clear if the traditional EPG is the best way of displaying this much information to the user in a way that’s actually useful to them.  The traditional EPG will still be with us for a long time, because linear TV is also going to be with us for a long time.  However, I doubt that the grid-based EPG will remain the primary means of finding something to watch past the current generation of user interfaces that we’re seeing from companies like Freesat and YouView. 

This brings us full circle back to the integration of catch-up services in to the guide, because familiarity is a powerful tool, but sometimes our current tools just aren’t powerful enough to face the demands of the future.

Smart TVs Help TV Overtake PC For Online Video Viewing

A recent study from the NPD group in the US has revealed that the television has now overtaken the PC as the preferred device for viewing over-the-top (OTT) media. The rapid adoption of smart TVs obviously has a large part to play in this, but we’ve also seen that many smart TVs have ease-of-use problems and so the growth in smart TVs alone may not be enough to account for this trend.

Smart TVs have some obvious benefits over the PC for viewing media content – the large screen and the “lean back” user experience are pretty much essential for watching content that’s longer than a few minutes.  As a regular user of iPlayer, I much prefer to use it on the Wii (for those times when the entire family wants to watch something) or on my iPad (for when I’m the only one who wants to watch something) because they’re more convenient and comfortable to use.  While I could connect my laptop to the TV and use that, the difference in resolutions and the hassle of getting audio set up properly means I simply don’t bother.  I’d rather watch a standard-definition version of the programme easily than deal with the messing around required to watch the HD version on the big screen.

As online media services become more widely deployed through smart TVs and set-top boxes (with both YouView and Freesat doing this in the UK, and various HbbTV-based catch-up TV services available in Germany), viewing OTT content is eventually going to become just another part of the TV experience, in the same way that PVR functionality already is today.

At the same time, there’s still a long way to go – recent figures have revealed that three quarters of YouView boxes sold so far have been used to view on-demand content for more than three minutes per session.  Given that the current purchasers are by definition the early adopters, who are more likely to be familiar with catch-up TV services, this is not a very impressive set of numbers.  Seeing how these numbers grow as YouView and Freesat’s Freetime service become more widely deployed will give a good indication of how this trend will develop in the UK.

What impact will the iPad Mini have on the multi-screen TV viewing experience?

Apple’s much anticipated gadget, the iPad Mini was unveiled last night, but what impact will it have on the multi-screen TV viewing experience when it becomes available to the public on the 2nd November?

The launch of the iPad Mini could send Apple’s dominance in the tablet market into overdrive. The smaller, cheaper tablet isn’t just a device for holidays; it has the potential to extend TV services every day. Multi-screen TV is becoming increasingly popular with services including search and recommendations being combined with the ability to watch shows away from the TV set. Compact and portable, the quality of the screen hasn’t been compromised, meaning users will be able to enjoy TV content on the go at ease.

Whilst it’s launching with a slightly higher-than-expected price tag of £269, it’s still cheaper than Apple’s £300+ flagship 10-inch iPad. This means consumers will be able to take advantage of an enhanced connected TV experience at a lower price.  Both the TV industry and consumers are becoming increasingly savvy in using tablets and smartphones to enhance the viewing experience. It’ll be interesting to see what new services will be tailored to the new enhanced range of iPads to extend TV experience even further, and whether these new devices change the way people multi-task while watching TV.

BBC scales back Red Button video ahead of connected TV service

The BBC has recently announced that they’re scaling back their use of “red button” video ahead of a wider deployment of their connected TV service.  Given the success of iPlayer, this isn’t entirely surprising.  The use of broadcast services for delivering alternative video streams is both expensive, because you have to pay for the spectrum to broadcast it, and inherently limited because there are only so many alternative streams that you can carry at any time.

The BBC’s excellent coverage of the Olympics showed the value of alternative streams, by allowing everyone to choose which Olympic events they wanted to watch.  While this is feasible as a one-off for high-profile events such as the Olympics (if you’ve got a satellite or cable subscription that can handle all of the extra channels that are needed), it doesn’t work so well in day-to-day situations because of the limited number of streams that you can carry.  Broadcasters end up having to make a choice of what alternative streams to provide - not only to fit them into the available channels, but also to maximise the use of those channels.

The success of catch-up services on smart TVs has shown that customers will accept streamed video, and services such as the “Tagesschau” service in Germany (which provides news on demand) show the advantages of a connected approach, especially as the adoption of connected TVs grows.  The flexibility of connected TV services offer a big advantage over broadcast-based alternative video streams, and over time users will see real benefits from this through the increased availability of alternative content.

DTG releases connected TV spec version two

The UK Digital TV Group (DTG) recently released a new version of its connected TV specification – D-Book 7 part B.  ANT has been heavily involved with this version of the specification (I’ve been chairing the HTML work in this activity) and so it’s good to see it finally released.  This is an important step in the evolution of the D-Book, for two reasons.

First, this version of the D-Book is much more closely harmonised with the HbbTV specification, meaning that three of the main HTML-based specifications for connected TV (from the Open IPTV Forum, HbbTV and the DTG) are now closely aligned.  This makes it much easier for all of the digital TV specialists to get economies of scale from the development and deployment of HTML-based products and services.

Second, D-Book 7 part B is publicly available.  Until now, the D-Book has only been available to DTG members. While this may not seem very important, D-Book 7 part B adds some advanced web technologies over and above those currently adopted by OIPF or HbbTV.  While there are still questions about how widespread the deployment of these technologies is in smart TVs at present (and how usable they are on the current generation of receivers), that may not be the most important aspect of this.  Having this specification publicly available makes it much easier for HbbTV and OIPF to make sure that future versions of their specifications are aligned with the DTG.

Increasing harmonisation is not only good for the industry, it’s good for consumers all over the world, so the closer alignment of all three specifications – and the ability to easily align even further in the future - is a big step in the right direction.

It’s Official: Sport is Social

The British public is embracing second screening as part of their everyday viewing habits. According to Sky, 75% of people now watch TV with a second connected device in hand. During the Olympics, over 150 million tweets were posted, making it one of the most talked-about events ever on Twitter. It confirms that big sporting events trail only breaking national news for stimulating social networking.

Now, social networking sites are not only being used to discuss programming, but to choose what to watch too. 24% of 18 to 24 year-olds use Facebook and 9% use Twitter to find something to watch on TV. Remarkably, over one in ten of us are now turning on TVs because of what we’ve seen on social media.

According to Broadband TV News, BBC’s iPlayer received a record 196 million views over the Olympics, with almost a fifth coming from mobile and tablet devices. This, along with the Ryder Cup, has given sport 30% of the online viewing market.

Sport is reacting to this too. The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) is the world’s fastest growing sport, and this could well be down to social media and second screening. For example, Head of UFC’s parent company, Dana White, has over 2.2 million followers, and before the main fight, on pay-per-view, supporting events are shown live on Facebook. Sport has always engendered debate, something which second screening and social media can only help to grow. In the weird and wacky world of professional wrestling, WWE recently acquired social networking site Tout, and now regularly uses content from Tout in its broadcast programming.

All of this means sports fans and content providers are using multiple platforms to source, consume, and enjoy more entertainment at once. In this regard, sports content is ahead of the market, but it will surely only be a matter of time before other content providers start to integrate further in this way.

Umbrella Apps

Apps for the TV is fast becoming a hot topic. A recent survey by Appcelerator has found that more than 80 per cent of developers felt they would be making apps for televisions by 2015. The survey of more than 5000 developers shows that the number of apps for the TV will soon be equal to mobile and tablets.

Our own app, ANT Galio Move, has already received an excellent response from customers who recognise that tablet and smartphone applications can really enhance the viewing experience for viewers, whilst providing significant product differentiation and new revenue.

At IBC last month, we showcased a range of demos, to show how broadcast metadata can be used to provide integrated content from Twitter, Facebook, Wikipedia and iTunes. Viewers can follow tweets about the programme they’re watching, watch a movie trailer on YouTube or buy the soundtrack on iTunes.

John Moulding has described this type of application as ‘the Umbrella app’. An app that takes the usual campaign screen functionality like channel change and recordings and adding social media content, which is usually thought of as ‘second screen’ experiences. This gives Pay TV platforms the opportunity to become the gateway on tablets and smartphones within which individual programme-related experiences are accessed.

We’ve seen with ANT Galio Move that this type of functionality can be just as compelling with a free-to-air platform when the application has direct access to the TV device and its accompanying metadata. Companion applications will continue to evolve but we’re starting to see how combining traditional TV functionality such as streaming, navigation and control with online content can really improve the overall TV experience.

Will iPhone 5 increase multiscreen viewing in the home?

So the dust has settled on the launch of the new iPhone model. There was no great new feature that stole the headlines. It was simply more of the same that has made the iPhone so popular. With improved maps, a panoramic camera, 4G, and a new digital dock, the latest iPhone is set to be a worthy replacement for the iPhone 4 and iPhone 4s. But what stood out for us was the introduction of a larger screen.
The new model is getting a display larger than the traditional 3.5-inches. The screen measures 4-inches diagonally and will maximise the Retina display technology that was introduced on the iPhone 4. The new iPhone is just a little bigger than earlier models but with a width the same as the 4S.
Why has Apple done this? Well the success of the Samsung Galaxy and its bigger screen might be one reason. But perhaps Apple has picked up on the growing trend of consumers using their smart device to watch TV on.

This habit is something we’ve observed in the past, and it’s more than encouraging to see giants such as Apple developing products recognising this trend. The tablet is still maturing, but smartphones are already in most homes. As tablets become more popular, it seems larger smartphone devices are where we are headed.
This will be music to the ears of the connected TV manufacturers to see better companion devices to interact with, to highlight the functionality of their products. It’s now up to digital TV software specialists such as us to provide products, like ANT Galio Move, that will maximise this development.

ANT wins at ConnectedWorld.TV Awards

Last night at the ConnectedWorld.TV Awards we collected the prize for the best native app for a portable device for ANT Galio Move. The awards ceremony took place at IBC 2012 and was hosted by Spencer Kelly (middle), presenter of BBC Click. It was great to see the product recognised by the industry as one of the leading applications on the market.

ANT Galio Move was launched at IBC 2011 and allows consumers to stream live and recorded TV to tablets and smartphones anywhere in the home. You can view the device in action on ANT’s YouTube Channel.

The award has come as we have been demonstrating the latest social media functionality of ANT Galio Move at this year’s IBC. We’ve had excellent feedback from visitors who have had a hands-on demonstration of the new features. 

ANT Galio Move now enables viewers to update Facebook or Twitter while they watch TV content on the companion device, or access additional related associated content on Wikipedia, YouTube or iTunes. It’s this interaction with the content, and being able to engage with what you are watching, that has hit the right note at IBC this year.

With these new features added, we’re already looking forward to innovating further as the fast moving second screen market continues to gain momentum.

Socialising at IBC 2012

IBC 2012 marks a year since the launch of our unique multiscreen TV app, ANT Galio Move. Over the last 12 months the app has continued to evolve as connected devices have presented a massive opportunity for the TV industry. With the foundations of the connected home in place, it’s clear that consumers want to be able to interact across multiple devices. Now with the ANT Galio Move app, viewers can access Facebook and Twitter on the same screen as their favourite TV shows.

ANT Galio Move was developed to meet the growing demand for the multiscreen viewing experience. It enables viewers to watch both live and recorded TV on tablets and smartphones anywhere in the home. People can watch either the same or different TV shows without interrupting the main TV screen. The app ‘talks’ to the TV or STB over a Wi-Fi connection, any tablet or smartphone device can also act as a remote control. So viewers are also able to manage recordings and access programme information.

Now viewers can update Facebook or Twitter whilst they watch TV content on the same screen. Not only this, but because the app analyses programme metadata it can also provide links to additional associated online content. ANT Galio Move can provide links to Wikipedia for additional programme and actor information, movie trailers on YouTube, or a soundtrack on iTunes. It can even suggest the right hashtags for the viewer to follow on Twitter.


We’ll be at IBC until the end of the show so pop our stand 4.C98 in Hall number 4 to see ANT Galio Move in action. Or you can view a video demonstration of the new features below.

Second screening becomes big business

24% of people are using second screens whilst watching TV, and almost half of all 16-24 years olds use social networks such as Facebook and Twitter to discuss what they’re watching, according to new stats in Deloitte’s new report.

Viewers are interacting directly with the programmes they’re watching, but they’re also increasingly talking about the content within the programme with their friends on social media networks. There is a real opportunity here from those broadcasters and advertisers that react quickly to this growing trend. Advertising specialist YuMe, has stated there is a window of opportunity for them to pitch their wares to a growing connected TV audience, as for now they will interact with the ads out of a simple curiosity.

To make of the most of this, advertisers should therefore be leading the way for consumers, providing interesting and personalised content so that when they do go online using their connected TV, they have something compelling to interact with.

There’s also a huge opportunity for manufacturers to get involved here, and we are seeing a growing number of companion apps becoming available that consumers can use to interact with their favourite TV shows. Integrating social media networks into the viewing experience for example, means viewers can be more engaged with their favourite TV shows, following the relevant hashtags on Twitter and discussing with friends online. 

These latest stats show viewers are becoming more accustomed to using second screens and interacting directly with the programmes that they’re watching. So faced with a more switched-on connected TV audience, the onus is firmly on the TV industry to create a converged first and second screen experience so compelling that it could potentially have more impact than a single screen experience.

ANT Galio Move shortlisted for Connected World awards

Good news! As well as being shortlisted for the CSI awards last month, ANT Galio Move has now also been shortlisted for the Connected World TV awards! We’re in the running for the ‘Best native app for a portable device’ category.  The judging will take place by a panel of experts over the next month and the winners will be announced during this year’s IBC event which runs from the 7th – 11th September.

Launched at last year’s IBC show, ANT Galio Move is an application that allows consumers to stream live and recorded TV direct to tablets and smartphones anywhere in the home. Using ANT Galio Move, viewers can watch the same programme as the main TV, stream a different channel or watch a programme previously recorded on the STB (Set-Top Box). The app connects directly to the STB meaning it can manage recordings, access additional programme information and quickly navigate through the EPG (Electronic Programme Guide), extending the capabilities of today’s STB beyond the living room. All of which can be done without disrupting the main TV experience.

It’s been really well received by the critics and we’ve spent the last 12 months in development, preparing to launch a whole range of new exciting features at IBC 2012. If you’re attending the show this year, please feel free to visit our stand to see ANT Galio Move in action.

We’re delighted with the results of ANT Galio Move’s latest features and testament to its success in the market is the fact that we’ve been shortlisted for two highly prestigious industry awards in as many months. We’ll be keeping our fingers crossed for the Connected World awards ceremony, but please do wish us luck!

For more information on ANT Galio Move please visit the ANT website.

ANT Galio Move shortlisted for CSI awards

We’re pleased to announce that ANT Galio Move has been shortlisted for the Cable & Satellite International awards in the ‘Best interactive TV technology or application’ category.  The judging is to take place by a panel of experts over the next month and the winners will be announced at this year’s IBC event on September 7th.

Most people now live in a connected home with 70 per cent of tablet owners and 68 per cent of smartphone owners using their devices while watching TV. ANT Galio Move uses these additional screens to complement and enhance the viewing experience.

ANT Galio Move is an application that allows viewers to stream live and recorded TV direct to tablets and smartphones anywhere in the home. The app connects directly to the TV device using a WiFi connection, meaning that the companion device is able to carry out a wide range of second-screen functions, which haven’t previously been possible. For example:

• When watching a football match, for example, you can take the game with you while you make a cup of tea, meaning you never miss a kick. Simply press the ‘Watch Here’ button on the companion device’s touch screen UI. The match will continue to play on the main TV as the rest of the family continues to watch while you can watch it in parallel on the companion device
• Perhaps you’re not interested in the football at all, and if that’s the case, simply select another channel and stream it to the companion device instead. The main TV remains unaffected and you have access to the same selection of live programmes to view on the companion device
• As well as all of the live programmes, the application can also be used to watch programmes recorded onto the STB or connected TV hard drive

Since its launch at the IBC show last year, ANT Galio Move has been extremely well received by the market. We have continued to develop the application and are looking forward to showcasing new exciting features again at IBC 2012. We’re delighted with the results and will be keeping our fingers crossed at the CSI awards ceremony.

For more information on ANT Galio Move  please visit the ANT website.

Households getting smarter with their TVs

Internet connected 'smart TVs' are growing in popularity with 5% of UK households now owning one, according to stats in Ofcom’s new report.

As smart TVs grow in popularity, so does the physical size of the average TV screen.  More than one third (35%) of TVs sold in the UK in Q1 2012 were either 'super-large' (33" to 42") or 'jumbo' sized (43" and over). In addition, smartphone and tablet ownership are also up, 39% and 11% respectively.
The connected home is no longer just a pipe dream. Smart TV sales are steadily increasing and more importantly the number of consumers actually using the internet enabled features is increasing too. Over two thirds of people are now using the internet capabilities of their smart TVs - a result of more engaging, relevant content being provided for viewers combined with improved consumer understanding of the benefits of plugging an internet cable into the back of their new TV.

The rise in smartphone and tablet ownership presents an opportunity to not only watch TV on these devices but to join the TV and the connected devices together for a converged TV experience. Tasks such as scanning the electronic programme guide or scheduling new recordings should take place on the touch screen user interface of a smartphone of tablet device to avoid disturbing what the TV is best as – displaying great television pictures.

By Simon Woodward, CEO of digital TV specialist ANT Software

The Sky’s the limit for brand new Now TV service

This week we have seen another contender enter the arena to battle it out for our on-demand attention. BskyB launched its own streaming service – Now TV – challenging the dominant players in the market, Netflix and LoveFilm. Now TV will be made available on PCs, Macs, smartphones, iPads and YouView. Consumers will be given the option to either watch unlimited films for £15 a month or pay up to £3.49 for individual films, with the "pay and play" option. With the launch of the new internet service, Sky is going beyond its pay-TV subscription roots. It’s a smart way of maximising its premium catalogue.

Having seen LoveFilm and Netflix make a huge splash this year, the launch of Now TV is a bold step for Sky to take. The move is a sign that Sky’s looking to get more from what it already has. More bang for essentially the same buck.

Whilst the launch is exciting news for consumers who don’t want to subscribe to Sky’s packages but do want access to Sky’s content, it’s also an interesting development for the digital TV industry overall. The launch is another sign that the market for on-demand services is rapidly growing.

It’s good to share as the connected device market prepares for growth spurt

A report by the analyst group IDATE reveals connected TVs will account for 63% of the new over-the-top services market by 2020. In addition to that, the global TV services market will amount to €355 billion by 2020, up from €233 billion in 2011. On average, over the next eight years, it means the market is set to grow by 4.7% annually. When you consider the wider economic climate, that’s an ambitious target to reach.

The driving force behind this however will be what the report calls the 'rest of the world' countries, including China, India, Russia and Brazil. These countries will increase their share of the global TV services market from 20% in 2011, to 42% in 2020.

One of the reasons for this growth is the development of on-demand-video services. IDATE’s deputy chief executive, Gilles Fontaine, believes "new on-demand services will increase their share of the global video market from 3% in 2011 to 12% in 2020.”

China and the Asian markets will be of particular interest as they continue to develop. Burgeoning middle classes in China and the modernisation of other economies in the region means there is, in every sense, a whole new market to explore.

We’ve said in the past that we expect to see a sharp curve on the adoption cycle of connected TVs. Consumer take-up stagnated in the early years, partly because the consumer education piece didn’t run parallel to the technology innovation. This is now being addressed and the benefits of connected TVs are already starting to light up living rooms. It’s now up to the industry to continue to develop additional, relevant, TV services to meet the forecasted demand.

A big “phew” from the people behind YouView

YouView is finally set to launch. Chairman Alan Sugar and Managing Director Richard Halton showcased the new television service backed by territorial broadcasters (BBC, Channel 4, Channel 5 and ITV) and three communications companies (Arqiva, BT and TalkTalk) to the press for the first time this morning. While trials continue, YouView has committed to the first STB’s being available to buy at the end of the month, around two years later than originally planned.

YouView is some four years in the making having been known initially as project canvas in 2008, with a view to launch in 2010. It will allow viewers to access 100 digital TV and radio channels as well as a selection of on-demand content from BBC iPlayer, ITV Player, 4oD and Demand 5. Today’s launch focussed on its EPG that enables users to scroll backwards in time as well as forwards, so they can catch up on shows they may have missed in the last seven days. You can see some glimpses of the EPG here.  Subscription packages are yet to be announced and may hold the key to whether the service is able to offer anything that isn’t already available in the market today. Subscription free STBs will cost £299, meaning it’s very much a premium product. 

After some technical delays, the product is now ready to go to market. Crucially, it will miss the anticipated pre-Olympics surge in TV device sales. But it’s thought the new TV service will also provide film studios and TV production companies with the ability to set up their own channels, an interesting development for the UK market.

Will Google TV learn the lessons from 2010 launch?

Sony and Google have got together to launch Google TV beyond North America for the first time. It’s an interesting development and another reason why 2012 has become the year of connected TV devices. Whilst it’s an exciting development for consumers, people may still be a little wary about investing in the product given the reputation Google TV garnered when it first launched in the US.

When it launched in the US in 2010, Google TV had its share of critics. The initial release was derided for being too expensive, and perhaps more importantly several TV networks blocked the service from access to its content. Google’s launch partner, Logitech, pulled out after an unsuccessful launch, CEO Guerrino De Luca later told investors that launching on "beta" software was "a mistake of implementation of a gigantic nature" the software simply wasn’t ready for commercial deployment.

The UK launch, which will also be rolled out in Canada, Australia, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Brazil and Mexico in the coming months sees Sony provide the hardware. We saw some early implementations at CES in January. Consumers will be able to browse the internet, play games and access other applications as well as watching TV. There appears to be a limited amount of European TV content available at launch, which, as we saw in the US may prove to be a barrier.

It remains to be seen how the device, called the NSZ-GS7, will fair. However, with plans to launch a Blu-ray version at £300 later this year, it suggests Google and Sony are going to be throwing their considerable marketing weight behind it. The encouraging thing for all of us in the industry is that the connected TV market continues to grow.

Multi-screen is the way forward for our sporting summer

This weekend, we watched in disbelief as England crashed out of Euro 2012, yet again on penalties. So as we enjoy, or rather endure, this sporting summer, it’s interesting to note that one fifth of Europeans will be using connected devices to ensure they don’t miss a single sporting event, according to research carried out for Logitech by Opinion Matters . Whilst the Euros are now over for England, we still have Wimbledon and the Olympics to look forward to; and it’s looking likely that this sporting summer will be the tipping point for bringing the multi-screen experience into our living rooms.

The survey also revealed that 66 per cent of men control the remote. But by using new tablet and smartphone apps such as ANT Galio Move, arguments over the remote will become a thing of the past. Using a Wi-Fi connection, ANT Galio Move lets users stream live and recorded TV direct to tablets and smartphones anywhere in the home. This means that fans can watch the match on an iPad as they get refreshments from the kitchen while everyone else continues to watch on the main TV - no-one need ever miss a single kick again. Alternatively those that don’t want to watch the game can use the iPad to watch a different live channel or recorded programme. The app can also be used to manage recordings, access additional programme information and control the TV, all without interrupting the big game.

So with increasing numbers of consumers turning to multiple devices to watch all the sporting events over the summer, one thing we can be certain of is that the multi-screen experience looks set to stay. Perhaps slightly less certain however, are Great Britain’s chances for the rest of the sporting summer… For now, the pressure is firmly on Andy Murray to deliver a British victory at Wimbledon!

New services needed to capitalise on connected TV sales boom

More than every third flat-screen TV set sold this year in Europe (37%) will be Internet-compatible, according to recent figures compiled by the European Information Technology Observatory. But with connected TVs now set to boom across Europe, manufacturers and retailers are constantly having to up their game. One way to do this is to offer the consumer market more innovative features so that they remain ahead of their competition.

These latest figures show that connected TVs are becoming increasingly popular, and as a result, everyone wants a piece of the pie. This year, we’ve already seen the entry of Netflix into the UK market, the launch of Google TV 2.0, and an Apple TV is rumoured to be hot on its heels. So in an increasingly crowded marketplace, manufacturers are having to become more savvy by harnessing developments in new technologies and offering consumers a greater range of digital TV services. For a glimpse of future connected TV services it’s worth tracking the connected set-top box market: with a shorter development cycle it’s often where TV innovation can be seen first.

Multiscreen TV is set to shape the viewing experience of the future, with connected devices talking to each other to deliver truly personalised TV. By embracing new services such as tablet and smartphone viewing, connected TV sales will continue to thrive.

By Simon Woodward, CEO of digital TV specialist ANT Software