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  • iPhone breathes life into mobile gaming market

    Touchscreen handset could have a potentially revolutionary impact on mobile gaming, according to a report by Screen Digest.
    In particular, Apple’s iPhone 3G is expected to drive the growth of the North American market raising it to the leading global market by revenue next year.

    The media analyst’s study says that the world’s top four games publishers are taking an ever bigger share of the market for mobile games.
    EA Mobile, Gameloft, Glu and THQ Wireless have seen their global market shares increase from 11 per cent to 22 per cent in 2007 and the figure is rising, particularly in Western Europe.

    From the perspective of both games developers and mobile users, touchscreen phoness have the potential to be the number one device for mobile gaming.
    The Screen Digest report says this is supported by recently released retail sales figures that show 10 million applications were downloaded from the Apple online store in the three days after the iPhone 3G went on sale on July 11.
    However, it cautions that the handset presents technical challenges for developers, limiting the sophistication of the games on offer which in turn restricts audience retention.

    Ronan de Renesse, senior mobile analyst, said:

    “Whilst the current demand for games that can be played on the iPhone is giving the mobile gaming industry a much needed boost, there are a number of issues that will need to be addressed by games developers"
    “They need to overcome technical challenges to deliver more enticing games to a wider audience of gamers – and they need to do this fast"
    “So whilst in the short term the iPhone is boosting sales of mobile games, the favour won’t be returned until the iPhone can support a major blockbuster title – or two.”

    Screen Digest anticipates that the mobile games market will generate an extra US€1bn in the next five years to reach a total value of US€2.6bn by 2012.

    Historically, Asia has been the biggest market in terms of industry revenues with over 37 per cent market share in 2007, but Screen Digest predicts that from 2009 onwards, North America will become the largest market.

    North America has been experiencing continued growth, generating an average of US€125m every year for the past four years.
    The report forecasts this this revenue growth to continue and double the market value to just over US€1.1bn by 2012.

  • Sky now boasts 500,000 HD subscribers

    Satellite operator posts final results with revenue up and subscribers approaching 9 million

    Sky+ HD was taken by 33,000 new customers in the UK over the last three months, pushing the premium high-definition PVR to a total customer base of nearly 500,000.

    Nearly 9m people now subscribe to Sky after the company added more customers than expected over the last three months.
    Publishing results for its full financial year, Sky said it had 8.98m subscribers in total with net customer additions over the last three months coming in ahead of analyst expectations at 92,000.

    Revenue for the full year stood at £4.95m, up 9 per cent on the year before, receiving a boost from an 11 per cent uptick in retail subscription revenue to £3.77m.

    Its adjusted operating profit was £752m, down 2 per cent from the year before and attributed to continuing investment in its broadband operations.

    Jeremy Darroch, Sky CEO, said growth was still strong despite a more difficult consumer environment.
    “More customers are choosing Sky for a broader range of products and are staying with us for longer,” he said.

    The HD figure reflects take-up prior to Sky’s reduction in the Sky+ HD price from £249 to £150 effective from July 1.
    Sky noted that quarterly annualised churn has been brought down to 9.8 per cent, its lowest level since 2005.

    Average revenue per customer reached a new high of £427 on the back of continued strong take-up of its premium upsell products such as Sky+ and Sky+ HD.

    Revenue had also been improved with its push into bundle selling, with 11 per cent of its customer base now taking its “triple play” package of TV, broadband and fixed-line telephony.

  • Kodak offers HDTV answer to photos "lost" in the PC

    Kodak has long been known for producing imaging and photographic material.
    hdtv.biz-news.com asked Matthew Yarrow, Kodak country business manager for the UK and Ireland, to explain the rationale behind his company’s decision to move into new territory with the launch of a set-top box.


    The Kodak Theatre HD Player, due for release in September, is a Wi-Fi equipped TV set-top box that can stream music, videos, and photos from any computer that is connected to the same network to your HDTV. It offers 720p playback, HDMI and component output ports, and a USB port.

    With digital photos increasingly being stored on computers, the days of flicking through family photo albums are a thing of the past for many people.

    But that doesn’t mean the desire to look through holiday snaps with family and friends has been lost.
    Matthew Yarrow said that was a primary factor in Kodak’s move into the set-top box market.

    “Consumers describe to us, with strong emotion, that with all the advantages of digital photography, they’ve lost their pictures in their computers,” he said.

    “In film days, families would gather together on the couch to pass around albums and envelopes of prints. They would stay up late sharing memories, telling their stories, with laughter and tears. But with digital photography, sharing pictures has become ‘computer work’.

    “They want their pictures and memories back in their life. And what better way to gather together the family, and release the emotions of their pictures and stories than on the most beautiful screen in the house.”

    Kodak also believes HDTVs offer the potential for interactive “features” far beyond innovative technical aspects now being offered.

    “Our consumer, the proactive photo sharer, is not only ready for the HDTV to do more, they want it to be the hub of the family,” said Yarrow. “A sort of the campfire around which the family gathers to relive key moments and memories, to enjoy their favorite photos, videos, and slideshows.

    “To even be able to make the HDTV the gather round point for new pictures and to be able to share these images with family and friends right from the couch.”

    But Yarrow said people wanted more than just the ability to view pictures on the big screen: “They want to interact with their pictures too – send the favourites to family when the moment is special, create special slideshows, add their own music.
    The Kodak Theatre is designed with these primary needs in mind.”

    What consumers are demanding, according to Yarrow, are solutions that free their trapped images from PCs, memory cards and digital cameras.

    But the proliferation of HDTV technology has also created a demand for HD content beyond standard television programming.

    “Our consumer research shows that consumers want to relive the most cherished moments of their lives on their HDTV,” said Yarrow.

    “The Player meets consumer desires to do more with their pictures, music and videos and engage more easily and more interactively with their personal content, as well as content from family and friends from around the globe.”

    Yarrow said the US$300 Theatre HD Player – a competitor of the likes of PlayStation 3 and AppleTV – was most likely to appeal to what he described as “active photo sharers and technology optimists”.
    He said this group would have some of the following characteristics –
    * Highest median picture saving of all segments, 266 per year
    * Primary person in the household for organising, printing, and sharing pictures
    * Wish to keep family and friends connected
    * Wish the sharing, organising and storing of pictures to be easy and pictures accessible
    * Enjoy having pictures displayed at home or work
    * Never get tired of looking at photographs
    * More likely than general population to visit online sites
    * 98 per cent email photos to others

  • HDTV to grow to 255m by 2013


    The number of households worldwide viewing HDTV is set to rise from 45 million today to 255 million in 2013, according to a study by IMS Research.

    It estimates that 45 million households worldwide received HDTV service via Direct to Home (DTH), cable, IPTV and Digital Terrestrial TV (DTT) at the end of 2007, with approximately the same number of HDTV sets shipping during the year.

    But the report forecasts that those watching HDTV worldwide will soar to 255 million TV households by the end of 2013, including video households viewing only pre-recorded non-broadcast programs.

    IMS also expects the Blu-ray Disc market to experience strong growth during the next five years, particularly as Blu-ray Disc drives in new PCs become more common, reaching a forecast US$46 billion in revenues in 2013.

    Shane Walker, research analyst and author of the study, said DTH continues to be the leading platform for HDTV service uptake due to its rapid transition from analog to digital households and increased HD content availability.

    He said HD DTH households are forecast to grow on average at 27.5 per cent annually, reaching 97 million households at the end of 2013.

    The most significant service uptake is expected prior to 2010, after which time the HDTV household growth rate is expected to fall below 30 per cent annually.

    “Approximately 62 per cent of the worldwide cable households are located in the Asia Pacific region,” he said.
    “Because of this, the slow conversion from analog to digital cable TV service in the Asia Pacific region is significantly skewing the worldwide forecast for HD cable households.”

    More details on the IMS Research study, The Worldwide Market for High-Definition TV Equipment & Services, are available at www.imsresearch.com

  • iPhone tethering app vanishes from App Store


    An application by Nullriver that turns an iPhone into a portable WiFi hotspot has disappeared from Apple’s App Store 20 minutes after being made available – only to re-appear hours later.

    Once operating the app is designed to give Wi-Fi-enabled devices internet access wherever a mobile signal is available.
    Until Nullriver’s Netshare’s brief appearance late on Thursday this feature was only available for jailbroken iPhone handsets – and in a more complicated form.

    It is one of the most requested apps for the iPhone since it allows the handset to be tethered to feed 3G or EDGE network data to your computer.

    However, Nullriver’s NetShare application, priced at US$9.99, appeared to have slipped unnoticed into the App Store without being picked up by Apple.

    Nullriver seemed as mystified as everyone else by events. A spokesperson, who emailed smartphone.biz-news.com, said: “We’re trying to get a hold of Apple right now. Until we hear from Apple, its hard to say what the real reason is, because, if it was AT&T, well, AT&T is not the iPhone service provider outside the US.”

    A statement on its website was headed: NetShare, where did it go?
    It continued: “We’re not quite sure why Apple took down the NetShare application yet, we’ve received no communication from Apple thus far.
    “NetShare did not violate any of the Developer or AppStore agreements. We’re hoping we’ll get some feedback from Apple today. Sorry to all the folks that couldn’t get it in time.
    “We’ll do our best to try to get the application back onto the AppStore if at all possible. At the very least, we hope Apple will allow it to be used in countries where the provider does permit tethering.”

    Later on Friday, the Netshare app made a reappearance for download by direct link only in the App Store.
    It wasn’t showing up in searches but was available if the link was known.

    Among the theories offered about the teporary vanishing act were suggestions of legal intervention from telecomms companies.
    Wireless carriers have almost always been opposed to tethering smartphones with unlimited data plans.

    Some even state in contracts that if you tether a phone, users may be responsible for additional fees associated with the data that used.

    It is possible, for an additional cost, to tether some phones, such as Blackberrys, but this hasn’t been an option with the iPhone.

    One poster, Vega_man Dan, raised the question of how the Apps Store qualifies applications before posting them.
    “This should never have been even accepted for consideration, let alone allowing it to go to sale,” he said.
    “I do wonder if Apple is actually testing or examining the apps before posting them to iTunes.”

    Until it was pulled, posters on various sites were reported that the application had worked.
    Engadget did get it to connect, after a few minutes tweaking.

  • Smartphone demand undented by economic woes

    Global demand for mobile devices still expected to reach 1.3 billion units in 2008 despite financial uncertainties, according to ABI Research

    The fact many global economies are teetering on the brink of recession doesn’t appear to have diminished consumer demand for top-end mobile phones.

    As the recent launch of the 3G iPhone demonstrated, the public appetite for the latest, most sophisticated smartphones is strong.

    Now a report by ABI Research suggests that while handset sales in developed markets were flat, those that did purchase were willing to pay more for the newest smartphones.

    As a result of this, it estimates that the mobile device market will deliver 13 per cent growth to take 2008 annual shipments to 1.3 billion units.

    It shows that in the second quarter of 2008, Tier One handset vendors enjoyed year-over-year unit shipment growth of between 15 and 22 per cent.

    An estimated 301 million units were shipped during the quarter, according to the analysts.

    Jake Saunders, vice president of ABI Research, said: “If there is an economic slowdown, no one bothered to tell the mobile device buying public.

    “In particular, consumers in emerging markets in Asia, the Middle East, Africa and South America shrugged off inflation fears to sign up as mobile phone users.

    “These healthy gains in net subscriber additions are stimulating replacement and upgrade sales.
    “In developed markets handset purchases tended to be flat, but those consumers who did purchase dug deeper and paid out more for coveted higher-end handsets and smartphones.”

    In terms of market share, the report Mobile Devices Market Sizing and Share, shows that Nokia has passed the 40 per cent threshold for the first time (40.3%).

    Samsung secured second place with 15.2 per cent, while Motorola barely managed to keep ahead of LG with its 9.3 per cent versus LG’s 9.2 per cent, and both edged out Sony Ericsson (8.3 per cent).

    There is a distinct possibility that LG might overtake Motorola by the end of 3Q 2008, putting Motorola into fourth place.

    “There is admittedly turmoil in the global economy, but the mass market’s fascination with getting the latest and greatest handset shows no sign of abating,” said ABI’s research director Kevin Burden.

    However, even with the expected 1H 2008 success of Tier One handset vendors – with Apple’s latest iPhone leading the charge – Nokia’s overall market share is likely to hold.

    This is in large part down to it refreshing its portfolio in the mid-tier and high end categories and pretty much cornering the ultra-low cost handset market.

  • DISH first to broadcast live Blu-ray quality video

    Satellite broadcaster becomes first the TV broadcaster to offer video in a full 1080p resolution

    Subscribers to America’s DISH Network who have its MPEG-4 HD DVR boxes are to be offered full 1080p (1920×1080 progressive) resolution wherever content is available.

    Starting on August 1 with a Video On Demand option for the movie I Am Legend, the new high resolution programming will supercede the 1080i (interlaced) or 720p which until now was usual HD fare for DISH and other services.

    The satellite company claims it is giving subscribers Blu-ray quality images for a lower price than renting a disc.
    It is also launching a new set of channel bundles known as TurboHD that are claimed to be the first in the market to offer customers a package that only contains HD stations.

    Charlie Ergen, CEO of DISH Network, said the upgraded resolution was possible as a result of its new satellite, Echo XI.
    This will also allow the broadcaster to extend its current 114 HD channels to 150 by the autumn.

    He said that by early August, all DISH Network customers with MPEG-4 HD DVR receivers will be able to view 1080p content.

    “This marks the first time in history a pay-TV provider offers movies in 1080p, the highest resolution format available for HD video enthusiasts,” he said.

    “Our latest system upgrade, coupled with the introduction of TurboHD, further strengthens our position as the leader in digital television and high definition television, platforms we look forward to enhancing even more with mobile and portable options.”

  • First Blu-ray Disc player with streaming movies

    Korean firm LG has announced the first Blu-ray Disc player able to instantly stream movies from Netflix to the TV

    LG Electronics and Netflix are to launch the first Blu-ray Disc player that will have the ability to instantly stream movies and TV episodes from Netflix directly to the TV.

    The LG BD300 Network Blu-ray Disc Player, which is to be launched in the autumn, will play high definition Blu-ray discs and up-convert standard DVDs to 1080p.

    But it will also allow Netflix subscribers to stream more than 12,000 choices of movies and TV episodes from Netflix to the TV for no additional charge.

    Teddy Hwang, president of LG Electronics USA, said with Blu-ray player sales expected to triple in three years, consumers are craving content and seeking a premium home entertainment experience.

    “The BD300 is another LG industry first and provides consumers with an advanced high-def disc player with unparalleled flexibility and networked access for services such as Netflix,” he said.

    Using a Queue-based user interface, subscribers will use the Netflix Web site to add movies and TV episodes to their individual instant Queues.

    Those choices will automatically be displayed on members’ TVs and available to watch instantly through the LG player.
    It is claimed that once selected, movies will begin playing in as little as 30 seconds.

    With the BD300’s accompanying remote control, Netflix members will be able to browse and make selections on the TV screen and have the ability to read synopses and rate movies.

    In addition, they will have the option of fast-forwarding and rewinding the video stream. The player also has a BD Live feature, BonusView and LG’s SimpLink technology, which allows users to control similarly equipped LG TV and AV products via on-screen menus or directly from the product itself.

    In January, prior to the 2008 International CES, LG Electronics and Netflix announced their technology partnership to provide a set-top box for consumers to stream movies and TV episodes from the Internet to the TV beginning in the second half of the year.

    Reed Hastings, CEO of Netflix, said: “LG Electronics was the first of our technology partners to publicly embrace our strategy for getting the Internet to the TV, and is the first to introduce a Blu-ray player that will instantly stream movies and TV episodes from Netflix to the TV.”

  • Set Top Box unit shipments spike as digital TV services proliferate


    Strong demand for digital STBs led to record shipments totalling 143 million units in 2007, according to market analysts In-Stat.

    The results ensure that the digital STB market remains one of the fastest growing segments of the consumer electronics industry.

    UK set-top box specialist Pace just announced a rise in STB shipments of 55 per cent in the first half of this year, helping push revenues forward 22 per cent to £231m.

    Heavy consumer interest in Free-to-Air satellite services, coupled with the expanding availability of digital cable TV and IPTV services, have helped fuel the industry’s best ever results.

    Among the other results included in The Global Digital Set Top Box Market are:

    *  Worldwide digital set top box unit shipments reached 143 million in 2007, up sharply from 121 million in 2006.

    *  Satellite set top box unit shipments accounted for just over 50 per cent of all global digital set top box unit shipments last year, while digital cable set top boxes made up 29 per cent of total unit shipments.

    *  Worldwide digital set top box product revenues hit US$14 billion in 2007, an increase of US$3 billion over 2006 revenues.

    * The market for semiconductor components inside digital set top boxes also grew significantly last year. The total value of semiconductors embedded in digital set top boxes increased to US$7.7 billion in 2007.

  • HDTV-enabled receivers boost Pace's STB shipments

    “HD is the flavour for just about everyone…there is a big trend upwards towards HDTV”

    Pace CEO Neil Gaydon


    UK set-top box specialist Pace saw box shipments rise 55 per cent in the first half of this year with HDTV-enabled receivers with built-in hard drives fuelling the growth.

    Volumes rose from 1.8 million in the half-year to December 1 2007 to 2.8 million units to June 30. The additional shipments helped push revenues forward 22 per cent to £231m (£190m to Dec 1 2007).

    They also signalled a reversal of fortune at its French operation, which in the half-year moved from an anticipated loss, to profit of £2.1m.

    Despite the inevitable squeezes on factory-gate prices Pace’s operating margins were up marginally from 20.7 to 21 per cent.

    The performance helped profits (before tax and exceptionals) rise from £10.6m (half-year to Dec 1 2007) to £11.2m this year.

    The company says it is now working with 17 of the world’s top 25 pay-TV operators, and reported a CAGR of its HD-PVR shipments up 49%.

    Pace CEO Neil Gaydon said the company had made strong progress in the first half, building on the performance momentum it has created over the last three years.

    “We launched ten new high definition products with customers around the world and improved the overall performance across the group,” he said.

    “The business is in good shape to capitalise on growth in our core set-top box business, new markets and new technologies as the world embraces the wide range of digital TV solutions.”