In a joint statement this week, television manufacturers LG Electronics and TP Vision (who now makes and sells Philips TVs) announced the formation of a Smart TV Alliance, which has been established to enhance the internet-connected HDTV experience through the introduction of a unified, non-proprietary ecosystem where app developers can create platform-independent services.
 |
| LG & Philips form alliance of unified Smart TV platform |
The two companies first made their collaborative intent known at the IFA 2011 consumer electronics trade show in Berlin last year. With the foundations now firmly in place, a number of Japanese TV makers are expected to sign up – new members will be announced on the official website of the organisation. Officials involved in the project believe that a universal Smart TV platform will benefit not only manufacturers, but also app developers and consumers by eliminating the difficulties posed by the diverse technologies and platforms used across different brands.
Bong-seok Kwon of LG Electronics, who is also president of the Smart TV Alliance, said that prior to the launch of the consortium, the smart television industry had become a very difficult one for both manufacturers and application developers. He explained that a “larger playing field” has been created through the Alliance, which will encourage app makers to create apps of higher quality and quantity, providing both manufacturers and consumers with “the richest source of movies-on-demand, music services, games, social networking and more”.
Alain Perrot, a Smart TV Alliance executive board member from TP Vision, added that the project will mean less application development time as well as costs, which will again benefit everyone involved. He said that the coalition will eliminate the need to spend time testing apps on different platforms, allowing developers to focus on delivering interesting and useful services that can be enjoyed by consumers.
Show All Comments