VIENNA—Bitmovin, a provider of video streaming solutions, is collaborating with Simplestream, a provider of OTT and broadcast solutions, and technology provider Xperi, to extend playback to TiVo OS smart TVs and devices.

Under the new partnership, Bitmovin and Simplestream have created a fully integrated streaming platform combining Simplestream’s content management and application framework with Bitmovin’s advanced playback technology.

The consolidated platform enables video providers to deliver a consistent, high-quality user experience to viewers with TiVo OS devices, the companies said. Bitmovin’s automated testing system uses AI analysis to process and analyze over a million tests each week to pinpoint root causes of playback issues faster and with greater accuracy to ensure the highest quality viewing experiences. Bitmovin first extended support to include TiVo OS in October 2025.

The companies claimed that the joint solution will help media companies and operators simplify their technology stack to reduce operational complexity and integration risk, while ensuring consistent and reliable playback across devices. It also enables flexible monetization capabilities including support for a range of ad formats such as pre-roll ads and pause ads, as well as standardized accessibility features that support inclusive viewing experiences.

“This collaboration represents an important step forward in simplifying and modernizing OTT delivery for our customers,” said Ashley Reynolds-Horne, Technical Director for Simplestream. “By combining Simplestream’s end-to-end platform capabilities with Bitmovin’s proven playback technology, we’re enabling media companies and operators to deliver reliable, scalable streaming experiences while unlocking new opportunities for monetization and service growth.”

James Varndell, Senior Director of Product Management, Bitmovin, commented: “Video providers want their service to be accessible by as many viewers as possible including those running TiVo OS, which is rapidly gaining traction. By extending support to include TiVo OS and collaborating with Simplestream to simplify launching on TiVo OS, we’re supporting customers to reach more viewers across a wider range of devices.”

Stephane David, Senior Director, Content Partnerships and Business Development EMEA, Xperi, added: “TiVo OS is designed to put great content front and centre. Collaborating with Bitmovin and Simplestream will help more streaming services to launch on TiVo OS with a high‑quality, consistent playback experience, so audiences can find, watch and enjoy more of what they love.”

Developed by Xperi and launched in 2022, TiVo OS is a content‑first operating system designed to make it easier for viewers to find, watch and enjoy great television. The platform powers smart TVs from leading brands, as well as a range of smart TV devices including set‑top boxes.

SAN JOSE, Calif.—TiVo has announced that the latest release of Sharp Smart TVs Powered by TiVo are now available for purchase in the U.S.

At CES 2025, TiVo announced its entrance into the U.S. market with Sharp Home Electronics Company of America, marking a key milestone of the continued expansion of smart TVs Powered by TiVo.

The Sharp 55-inch QLED Smart TV Powered by TiVo is available now to U.S. consumers for purchase, including in-store at P.C. Richard & Son, ABC Warehouse, Electronic Express and more, as well as online, starting at $299.99.

“Consumers want easy access to their content without any hassle. However, many smart TV interfaces create friction that disrupts a seamless user experience,” said Geir Skaaden, chief products and services officer at Xperi, the parent company of TiVo. “We believe that TVs should deliver the right content to viewers at the right time and we are doing just that through TiVo OS. TiVo OS is solving for this friction by helping viewers find, watch and enjoy their favorite shows and movies quickly and with ease.”

Xperi noted that as part of the launch it surveyed 1,001 U.S.-based consumers to assess current feelings and perceptions towards smart TVs, as well as how consumers are using their current TVs.

The research found that image quality, presence of content and personal recommendations were the most common purchase influences overall, with the primary reason for purchasing a particular TV often boiling down to price.

Smart TVs have become a household norm. Yet, consumers predominantly choose smart TVs based on brand (48%) rather than platform even though the operating system platform directly influences how they discover and enjoy video content, the research found.

The research also highlighted ongoing consumer concerns about the difficulty of finding content on many TVs.

Smart TVs Powered by TiVo utilize a simple, easy-to-navigate user interface, providing consumers with a content-first experience that highlights unbiased, personalized content discovery, reducing search time through fewer clicks. TiVo OS is designed to help keep a consumer on their device in addition to allowing OEMs to own and maintain the relationship with the consumer, the company reported.

In addition, to help ensure that consumers have an exceptional experience, TiVo OS has partnered with leading content providers including Disney+, Max, Netflix, Prime Video, YouTube and more. Disney+, Netflix and Prime Video were among the top 5 SVOD services used by the survey respondents.

SAN JOSE, Calif.—DTS, Inc. a subsidiary of Xperi, has announced “DTS Clear Dialogue,” a new on-device solution that leverages the latest advancements in AI-based audio processing to improve dialogue intelligibility for TV audio.

DTS Clear Dialogue addresses one of the biggest audio complaints from consumers—not being able to clearly understand spoken onscreen dialogue. There are many reasons why consumers have difficulty understanding onscreen dialogue: device limitations, inconsistent audio across content sources, environmental noise or individual hearing abilities.

Xperi says its DTS Clear Dialogue provides consumers with the ability to personalize and optimize their audio experience, significantly improving their understanding of dialogue.

“Sound quality is an essential part of the TV and video viewing experience," says Greg Ireland, senior research director at IDC. "IDC's consumer survey results continue to show that sound quality is highly important to a strong majority of viewers. Moreover, sound quality applies to older and young consumers, signaling that solutions that enable improved audio experiences address a highly important facet of the viewing experience for consumers across all generations.”

A recent Xperi survey of 1,200 U.S. adults revealed that 84% of consumers have experienced trouble understanding dialogue during TV shows and movies. In response, over three-quarters (77%) of survey respondents said they use captions/subtitles, with one in three (30%) reporting they are always or often turned on.

“When viewers can’t hear the dialogue, it degrades the quality of their TV experience and turning on subtitles is a workaround, not a solution,” says Geir Skaaden, chief products & services officer at Xperi. “To date, attempts to mitigate audio post-processing limitations don’t address the complex underlying problems across languages, content and environment, and can’t account for each viewer’s individuality. Our device-side AI-based audio processing solution will allow TV OEMs to provide their viewers with the ability to customize and personalize their audio experience.”

DTS Clear Dialogue leverages AI audio processing innovation and machine learning techniques to identify, separate and enhance dialogue so listeners can better understand it. Clear Dialogue is language-inclusive and agnostic to content type (movies, TV shows, sports, live events, etc.).

Xperi says that according to its own survey, 79% of U.S. consumers said that DTS Clear Dialogue would increase their interest in a smart TV that offered it. Top use cases include when: actors do not speak clearly (40%), non-dialogue audio elements are too loud (38%), viewers want to watch at a lower overall volume to avoid disturbing others (35%) and the TV-watching environment is too noisy (34%).

Xperi says DTS Clear Dialogue for TV OEMs can identify and separate virtually any element within an audio program to optimize its performance, distinguishing between elements such as dialogue, music and special effects. Users can also create personalized profiles with dialogue and non-dialogue settings, to address hearing impairment, listening environments and audio preferences for varying conditions.

“This new level of AI-powered personalization addresses listener needs and can compensate for individual hearing impairment, device limitations and listening environments for the first time,” continues Skaaden. “Providing this deeper level of understanding and enjoyment of TV content benefits everyone, from the viewers themselves to advertisers, streaming services, movie and TV studios and TV OEMs.

Xperi will demo DTS Clear Dialogue at stand in Hall 22-306, during IFA in Berlin, Sept. 6-10.

SAN JOSE, Calif.—Xperi announced today that since launching Powered by TiVo earlier this year, the smart TV platform now spans 17 brands, including Bush, Daewoo, Digihome, Panasonic, Sharp, Telefunken, and Vestel and is available in 15 European countries with a target of two million active devices in European homes by the end of the year.

“TiVo has always been at the forefront of innovation, and the recently-launched smart TVs are no exception,” said Jon Kirchner, CEO of Xperi. “We pride ourselves on understanding the end-user better than others and are leveraging those insights to help partners provide a more user-centric TV model. We’re excited to bring enhanced TV experiences to consumers around the world.”

The range of TVs carrying Powered by TiVo encompasses various sizes, from compact 24-inch models to expansive 75-inch displays with 4K/HDR support. Xperi says its Powered by TiVo platform can ”seamlessly aggregate content from various streaming services, linear TV channels and sports content, allowing consumers to organize and access their favorite shows, movies, and live events in a centralized hub. The platform supports a wide range of popular streaming services, providing consumers with access to a vast library of free and paid content.”

Xperi CEO Jon Kirchner said recently that Powered by TiVo smart TVs will be available for retail in the U.S. later this year.

During IFA 2024, TiVo will showcase the OS platform across six of its already available OEM partners.

SAN JOSE, Calif.—Xperi’s TiVo subsidiary continues to expand the capabilities and reach of its independent media platform with the debut of the TiVo One cross-screen ad platform.

The TiVo One cross-screen ad platform combines ad inventory across multiple end-points in the home and the car empowering advertisers to efficiently optimize branded campaigns to their desired audiences with advanced forecasting, precise targeting and robust measurement capabilities, TiVo reported. 

Xperi also reported that its independent media platform has seen through increased adoption and growing footprint for TiVo OS, TiVo Broadband and DTS AutoStage Video Service Powered by TiVo over the last year. 

“As a key element of our long-term strategy for the independent media platform, offering a variety of ways to optimally engage with audiences is essential. Whether that be through our smart TV offerings or connected car solutions, partners leveraging our innovative solutions can ensure we’re committed to delivering value and driving sustainable growth,” said Jon Kirchner, CEO of Xperi. “By fostering an ecosystem that prioritizes choice, personalization and seamless integration across platforms, we aim to redefine how audiences engage with content in today’s dynamic environment.”

In the run-up to major sporting events like the Olympics that will be hosted in Europe, Tivo also stressed that it has been working with partners to expand the reach of its media platform. 

TiVo’s first OEM partner, Vestel, has smart TVs Powered by TiVo in retailers across most major European countries, under a dozen different brands. Argos, a major UK retailer, has deployed TiVo OS in their Bush house brand of smart TVs, which are available online and in stores now, and are one of the first smart TVs to incorporate Freely, the new UK streaming service delivering live TV over broadband. And Panasonic is also expected to launch smart TVs Powered by TiVo into retail stores across Europe and the UK this summer.

To help advertisers capitalize on the rapidly growing CTV market, TiVo One is designed to be a cross-screen marketing solution that can help brands optimize their advertising campaigns, analyze customer attribution across different channels and devices, and gain valuable insights into which devices and distribution platforms drive maximum engagement to adapt advertising strategies accordingly.

TiVo One initially plans to offer a ‘Homepage Ad,’ its flagship ad unit, enabling brands to amplify their message with targeted data-driven advertising. This is expected to allow advertisers to reach their targeted audiences through linear and OTT ad promotions, and provide shared ad revenue opportunities for partners, all the while allowing users to find their content through seamless search and discovery for a friction-free viewing experience.

Other key features include: 

• Cross-Platform & Global Reach: TiVo One powers all TiVo platforms, providing advertisers optimal reach and frequency across streaming, IPTV, smart TV and automotive.
• Branded Experience: Enhanced graphic display combined with video and image expansion for maximum impact and engagement, driving directly to content consumers want.
• Precision Targeting: Enhanced content discovery and engagement allows advertisers to target based on viewing audiences’ behaviors and profiles, while delivering on user privacy preferences with a consent-first framework.
• Advanced Measurement: Track, analyze and optimize campaigns in real-time, offering actionable insights to fine-tune your strategy for maximum ROI.

SAN JOSE, Calif.—Xperi announced today that its TiVo subsidiary has signed up its first four U.S. telco providers for its new TiVo Broadband, which was launched at the 2024 CES last month and is specifically tailored for operators' broadband-only customers.

Buckeye Broadband, Blue Stream Fiber, Blue Ridge Communications and Bluepeak are among the first to offer TiVo Broadband to their subscribers, the company announced (Buckeye, Blue Stream and Bluepeak already offer TiVo's cloud-based Express TV app). Subscribers seeking a managed streaming environment can use TiVo Broadband on Evolution Digital’s EVO FORCE 1 and FUSE 4K stick.

Xperi says its TiVo Broadband is optimized for its TiVo IPTV Platforms, which allows operators to enhance the streaming video experience for their broadband-only customers across a range of devices. In addition, TiVo Broadband delivers premium subscription video-on-demand (SVOD), TiVo’s Free Ad-Supported Television (FAST) content network TiVo+, and customer-specific linear channels to an operator’s broadband-only customer base.

“Broadband providers have unique opportunities to harness the popularity of streaming to expand into new branded entertainment services,” said Greg Ireland, IDC’s Future Consumer research director. “A robust entertainment experience platform running on a connected device offers broadband providers a way to deliver a rich variety of streaming services to customers.”

“We have continued to build upon our commitment to provide our customers with the best, most cost-effective video consumption service, making the implementation of TiVo Broadband an obvious choice for us,” said Geoff Shook, president and general manager at Buckeye Broadband. “We believe the TiVo Broadband service will provide a meaningful alternative programming source for our customers as we continue to innovate and offer complementary solutions that ease programming issues.”

In addition to the enhanced user interface, easy access to streaming libraries, improved integration with existing broadband systems and faster deployment, TiVo Broadband also includes includes TiVo+, which offers content curated from over 800 free ad-supported channels integrated within the content-centric user interface and electronic program guide.

“Embracing the era of connectivity, we are enhancing the streaming video experience for broadband-only customers in new ways, across a full range of devices,” said Jeffrey Glahn, senior vice president, global sales at TiVo. “TiVo Broadband is an ally for operators seeking to advance their offerings to bring consumers to the content they love faster. The commitment of four operators, since the initial launch in January, shows a strong endorsement of our partners and their confidence in our ability to deliver and support innovation.”

LAS VEGAS—At CES 2024, Xperi has announced that its TiVo subsidiary has inked a new OEM partnership with Chinese TV manufacturer Konka and is expanding its partnership with BMW for DTS AutoStage Video Service Powered by TiVo, along with new content partners across the globe for the living room and the car.

The Konka deal is the latest OEM agreement for Xperi’s TiVo OS for smart TVs and DTS AutoStage Video Service Powered by TiVo for connected cars. In the latter half of 2023, Vestel, TiVo’s first OEM partner, began to release smart TVs to market. Beginning in Spring 2024, leading UK retailer Argos is expected to offer Powered by TiVo TVs through their Bush TV brand. Konka and its TV brand customers are expected to launch smart TVs Powered by TiVo across Europe. Sharp, which was announced in 2023, is expected to be available throughout the European market as well.

“We’ve recently narrowed our strategic focus and reiterated our intention to elevate the consumer entertainment experience, whether that be at home or on the go,” said Jon Kirchner, Xperi CEO. “TiVo’s rich history within the industry allows us to take advantage of our extensive media consumption insights, content relationships and machine learning capabilities to develop personalized, enriched and integrated solutions that solve the needs of our partners and end users.”

Since acquiring the company in 2019, Xperi has focused its TiVo IP on optimizing the growing connected TV environment, personalization and content discovery.  Xperi markets TiVo OS as a “first-of-its-kind neutral platform that enables OEMs to own their brand experience and gain significantly more control on how viewers consume content.” 

“Based on decades of experience growing consumer electronics and entertainment ecosystems, the Powered by TiVo model is designed to maximize the lifetime value of customers for TV OEM partners. With the expected growth of connected television (CTV) advertising to reach 36 billion USD by 2026, television OEMs have an opportunity to work with TiVo and participate in monetization throughout the lifecycle of the smart TV,” Xperi said.

For the BMW partnership, Xperi is targeting the growing sentiment among younger drivers in having video—including live TV and on-demand streaming—as part of their vehicle dashboard/screen entertainment choices, according to a recent Xperi survey among 17-44 year olds. 

Xperi and BMW Group recently announced the deployment of the DTS AutoStage Video Service Powered by TiVo across various models in the United States, Great Britain, Germany, France, Italy, Spain, South Korea and coming soon in Japan. This video service will deliver free premium content across live TV, news, sports, movies and more, Xperi said. In addition, Ford Motor Company is incorporating DTS AutoStage into certain North American vehicles, starting with the 2024 Lincoln Nautilus.

Content partners include Bloomberg, CHILI, DW, Gusto TV, Pluto TV, TED, Yahoo and leading regional content companies including Hulu Japan, JOYN, Mediathek, NHK Plus, NTV NEWS NNN, RaiPlay, TF1+, Tubi, TVer, WOWOW, ZDF and many more.

LOS ANGELES—Fabric has announced that it will be working with IMDb, Fox Entertainment, Paramount, ITV, EIDR, and Xperi to solve one of the entertainment industry's most persistent challenges: the efficient management and delivery of accurate metadata for content and that all those companies are all involved in the Authenticated Data Specification (ADS) Accelerator Project at IBC2023.

The primary goal of the ADS Accelerator Project is to establish a system of data governance that empowers content creators to maintain, update, and verify metadata, images, and usage rights associated with their products, the participants said. By proposing workflows and processes to improve the accuracy and authenticity of metadata throughout the content supply chain, the project aims to enhance user experiences and elevate overall product quality.

“Entertainment content creation is a labor-intensive process, and the quality of accompanying metadata often suffers as it passes through various systems and platforms. Critical details get lost, descriptions are truncated, and gaps are filled with unreliable third-party data,” said Tuncay Pervaz, chief operating officer from Fabric. “The ADS project seeks to rectify this by creating a more consistent metadata delivery payload, enabling secure data authentication and facilitating the publishing and display of authenticated metadata via distribution platforms.”

Addressing the project's multifaceted challenge requires a combination of specialized technologies, resources, and expertise, the companies noted. As a result, the project team encompasses the entire spectrum of media metadata, including content creators, metadata management specialists, and aggregators. 

The ADS Accelerator Project will be showcased at IBC 2023, September 15-18, in Hall 3 booth A25a. Attendees can witness a live demonstration of how certified 'publishers' can create, modify, enhance, and authenticate metadata records. The demo will highlight the process of publishing and displaying 'authenticated' metadata on third-party distribution sites. The project's extensive documentation, best practice guides, and workflow diagrams will accompany the demonstration. A presentation of the project will be given on Saturday, 16 September at 1:30 PM CET in the IBC Accelerator Zone Stage.

“As a participant in the ADS project, Fabric is motivated to contribute to streamlining metadata delivery and enhancing its authenticity,” Pervaz continued. “The project aligns with Fabric's mission to reduce friction in data transfer processes across the industry. We are excited about partnering with clients to establish a universal metadata standard, drive improvements and provide leadership across the broader media landscape.”

SAN JOSE, Calif.—TiVo has announced a multi-year, multi-million-unit deal with Sharp that will see the TV maker launch smart TVs Powered by TiVo. 

The first TVs using TiVo’s operating system and independent media platform are expected to ship in 2024 starting in Europe.

Sharp is the second major manufacturer to adopt the platform. During IFA 2022, Xperi announced the launch of its independent media platform and selected Vestel as its first original equipment manufacturer (OEM) partner as part of a push to make its technologies widely available in connected TVs and devices.

“We chose TiVo’s OS not only because of the superior product but also because we wanted to offer a user experience of Sharp quality elements with more variety and freedom,” said Nick Chen, head of Europe, vice president of TV-system business unit, Sharp Corporation. “We are excited to give users significantly more control on how to discover and consume content across live TV, news, sports, movies and more.”

“Sharp’s selection of Powered by TiVo is further proof that we are meeting a crucial need for smart TV brands,” said Jon Kirchner, chief executive officer, Xperi, which owns TiVo.. “The accelerated adoption of our independent media platform by consumer electronic brands, as well as by BMW in the car, lays a strong foundation for the future growth and success of our platform ecosystem.”

For more information on TiVo OS, visit https://business.tivo.com/products-solutions/tivo-os.

TiVo will be showcasing its independent media platform at IFA 2023 in Berlin.

SAN JOSE, Calif.—Adeia has announced that it has signed an early renewal agreement with Altice USA that extends the pay TV operator’s license of the Adeia's media intellectual property (IP) portfolio that supports Altice’s Optimum services, including their cable TV and over-the-top (OTT) streaming services. 

“We are pleased to announce this early renewal, which extends our long term relationship with Altice,” said Paul E. Davis, CEO of Adeia. “The US pay-TV market is among the most competitive environments in the world. Leaders in this segment, including Altice, are leveraging innovations that improve digital entertainment experiences to help consumers quickly, easily and intuitively find the content and services they want to enjoy,” 

With nearly five million residential and business customers across 21 states, including the New York City tri-state area, Altice is one of the largest broadband communications and video service providers in the United States. 

This agreement supports the latest generation of video service technologies and it ensures that Altice meets the high expectations of its customers for content quality and intuitive navigation, the companies said. 

“Adeia’s media IP portfolio offers pay-TV providers the opportunity to deliver consumers a truly personalized media experience by continuously advancing innovations that enhance the customer experience, including improvements for content discovery, search and recommendations, among many others,” said Davis.

 Adeia was spun off from Xperi last fall. 

LAS VEGAS—Amino announced a long-term deal with Xperi to supply Android TV certified set top boxes to operator customers of Xperi's TiVo Managed IPTV Service (formerly MobiTV). 

As part of the agreement, Amino has integrated its certified Android TV operator tier set-top box with the TiVo service to offer a managed device alternative and support for North American customers.

TiVo Managed IPTV Service enables broadband and cable providers to cost-efficiently deliver a next-gen video service while offering competitive features and the opportunity to roll out new video strategies, the companies said. 

Operators can build their service based on the Amino Amigo 7X Android TV set-top, which gives them a sleek, compact device that provides access to linear channels and streaming apps, the companies reported. 

The integrated solution is backed by Amino’s SaaS platform for centralized device management, Amino Engage, combined with its highly regarded customer support and maintenance services.

“The TiVo Managed IPTV Service continues to be a popular option for tier II and III operators because of its fully featured, end-to-end capabilities. So it makes sense that we’d integrate our managed Amigo 7X set-top to provide operators best-of-breed options when launching new video services,” said Donald McGarva, CEO of the Amino Group. “Amino has been a trusted brand in the region for nearly 25 years, so we are excited to broaden our footprint in North America.”

The TiVo-Amigo 7x integrated solution is available to all existing customers and to operators looking to meet current consumer demands through a cost-effective video platform. Amino’s managed device and support offers a sustainable upgrade path to support the latest service features to help operators maintain a competitive edge.

Amino is demonstrating its Amigo 7X set-top features at CES 2023.

Xperi has completed its reorganization and begins its first day of trading Oct. 3 as an independent company on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker “XPER.” The announcement concludes a nearly two and a half year process that started when the company announced in 2020 that it would spin off its IP licensing division to a new company, called “Adeia.” 

“We are at an exciting juncture in our journey,” said Jon Kirchner, chief executive officer. “Today we stand as an independent company with a strong balance sheet, an executive team with substantial tenure, and an exciting path to significant growth and profitability. The realization of this strategic milestone is the result of years of continuous effort.”

Xperi, which acquired TiVo in 2019 has taken recent steps to leverage TiVo OS, which it launched in August. At the time, it announced an OEM deal with Vestel, in which the European TV producer, will launch “Powered by TiVo Smart TVs” as part of a multi-year, multi-country, multi-million-unit agreement, with the first units expected to ship in 2023. Other notable Xperi entertainment technology brands include DTS, IMAX Enhanced and HD Radio.

Jon Kirchner, Xperi’s chief executive officer, stated, “Our strategy is closely aligned with broad industry growth trends and creates a highly scalable revenue stream through engagement-based monetization. Our market engagement model is well positioned to drive partner adoption by allowing TV OEMs and automotive OEMs to brand the experience, retain customer ownership, and actively participate in long term revenue generation. Our strategic growth, market opportunity, and unique value proposition are demonstrated by recent high profile customer wins such as a key TV OS win with Vestel, one of the three largest global TV producers, wins with BMW and Mercedes in automotive, and numerous IPTV wins, supported by a strong pipeline across our portfolio.”

Each stockholder of record of the Company’s predecessor (now known as “Adeia”), as of close of business on Wednesday, September 21, 2022, received a distribution of four shares of Xperi Common Stock for every ten shares of common stock of Adeia.

BERLIN—Xperi has officially launched its independent media platform—TiVo OS—and announced that Vestel, one of the top three European TV producers, will launch “Powered by TiVo Smart TVs” as part of a multi-year, multi-country, multi-million-unit agreement, with the first units expected to ship in 2023.

The announcement comes nearly two months after Xperi announced its acquisition of Oslo-based Vewd, which Xperi said would expand its TiVo presence in Europe. Vewd inked a deal with Vestel in 2021 to integrate its Operator TV OS (which doesn’t require a set-top box) into Vestel smart TV sets.  

Distinguishing itself from other smart TV platforms that are built around “walled gardens,” Xperi describes TiVo OS as a “first-of-its-kind neutral platform, aimed at giving original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) significantly more control over the user experience and helping consumers cut through the clutter of streaming and linear content options with simplified, universal discovery to consumers.”

Jon Kircher, CEO of Xperi estimates that 40% of the worldwide smart TV market wants a “truly independent platform. 

“Today, nearly 30 million households worldwide are powered by TiVo through an array of CTV and other partners,” he said. “We are pleased to have signed our first smart TV partnership for TiVo OS, our embedded operating system and media platform for smart TVs, underlying progress toward our goal of becoming a leading independent TV OS platform supplier.”

Turan Erdoğan, CEO of Istanbul-based Vestel said the company’s mission is to be the ‘retailer of retailers,’ “offering a wide range of choices to its customers in terms of Smart TV OS platforms.”

“TiVo, and its parent company Xperi, have a long history of both championing great customer experiences and creating entertainment ecosystems,” Erdoğan said. “We believe that the industry will benefit from a partner-oriented, independent media platform that provides the necessary scale, both in technology and content to satisfy the global media landscape. TiVo has a proven track record in making it easy for consumers to find, watch and enjoy the content they love. We’re excited about partnering with TiVo to provide a European-focused Vestel Smart TV Powered by TiVo OS to provide consumers the experience they want.”

Zperi acquired TiVo for $3 billion three years ago with the intention of expanding the TiVo OS into the growing connected TV market, currently dominated by Roku, Amazon Fire TV and Google TV/Android. CTV advertising is estimated to grow from $16 billion to $36 billion by 2026, Xperi said.

Xperi says its “TV Powered by TiVo” can deliver better viewer engagement than its competitors due to its “unbiased content-first user experience where live hybrid TV and streaming services are fully integrated, empowering consumers to intuitively discover TV shows and movies across their favorite streaming apps in a free, familiar, and frictionless experience by selecting the streaming services that are most relevant to them.”

SAN JOSE, Calif.—TiVo parent company Xperi has acquired Vewd Software Holdings Limited for $109 million through a mixture of cash and debt. Xperi says the acquisition will expand its TiVo brand in the connected TV market and give the company access to an installed European footprint of approximately 15 million devices that can be enabled for monetization, including activation of TiVo+, a free ad-supported TV service.

Vewd’s OTT and hybrid TV solutions ship in more than 30 million connected TV devices annually. Xperi says adding Vewd to its portfolio will help establish the company as a "leading independent streaming media platform through its TiVo brand and the largest independent provider of Smart TV middleware globally." 

Founded in 2002, Vewd Software Holdings Limited—with its main offices in Norway, Sweden, Taiwan and Poland—is an independent OTT software provider for Smart TV makers, connected car and video-over-broadband operators. Over 450 million connected TV devices have shipped with Vewd Smart TV Solutions from the likes of Amazon, Commscope, Hisense, Nintendo, Sagemcom, Skyworth, Sony, Swisscom, TCL, TPV Phillips and Vestel.

In December 2021, Vewd filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in a deal that would exchange $118 million in debt for equity as part of a restructuring plan filed with the U.S. Bankruptcy Court for the Southern District of New York. Vewd said the filing would not interfere with the company’s operations.

“Xperi’s TiVo product offerings, when integrated with Vewd’s suite of streaming platform solutions, will help accelerate and scale the deployment of TiVo OS for connected TVs and expand our video-over-broadband offerings,” said Jon Kirchner, chief executive officer of Xperi. “Vewd’s global reach and expertise in providing support to content owners, TV OEMs, and SoC partners as they deploy middleware and OS solutions across various devices is tremendously valuable and further paves the way for additional monetization opportunities as we expand our global footprint of streaming devices.”

“The acquisition of Vewd also strengthens the growth outlook of our product business as we prepare to separate our IP and product businesses this fall. We expect incremental revenue of $10 million in the second half of this year, followed by substantially higher revenue and a positive EBITDA contribution in 2023,” added Kirchner.

“We’re excited to join the Xperi family and look forward to combining the experience, skills and scale of both organizations to deliver new innovations for our clients. Together, we’re set to deliver more engaging experiences to the millions of viewers globally who enjoy TV shows, sports, and the movies they love through our platform,” said Aneesh Rajaram, Vewd’s chief executive officer.

Xperi, which said the transaction will add approximately 275 employees, announced that the Vewd management team will continue to lead the business and will be integrated into Xperi’s management structure.

SAN JOSE, Calif.—TiVo and Xperi are entering into a happy new union, with the two companies announcing that that have agreed to combine in an all-stock merger that values at $3 billion. Together, they say they will create a “leading consumer and entertainment technology business and one of the industry’s largest intellectual property licensing platforms with a diverse portfolio of entertainment and semiconductor intellectual property.”

With this merger, TiVo is expected to provide its content aggregation, discovery and recommendation capabilities with Xperi’s product capabilities in the home, automotive and mobile device ecosystems, helping consumers enjoy content anywhere, anytime, the two sides said.

The intellectual property licensing platform that will be offered by this newly formed company will reportedly serve markets in entertainment content, consumer electronics and semiconductors, and includes more than 10,000 patents and applications between TiVo and Xperi, TiVo said.

“There is more content, and more ways to enjoy that content, than ever before,” said David Shull, CEO of TiVo. “In a rapidly expanding and fragmenting digital universe, consumers want and need to be able to easily find and enjoy the content that matters to them. TiVo has always been the company that brings entertainment together. Now, we can significantly expand our mission. With Xperi’s annual licensing of more than 100 million connected TV units, and complementary relationships with major content providers, consumer electronics manufacturers and automotive OEMs, our combined company will transform the home, car and mobile entertainment experience for the consumer.”

The new parent company will take the Xperi name but will still provide entertainment services under the TiVo brand, alongside Xperi’s DTS, HD Radio and IMAX Enhanced brands.

This merger will take the place of TiVo's plans announced earlier this year that it was going to separate its product and IP licensing business.

Jon Kirchner, Xperi’s CEO, will take on the same role in the new parent company, with Xperi CFO Robert Andersen also serving as the parent company’s CFO. Shull is tapped with continuing as a strategic advisor to help out with the transition.

The merger has been agreed to by the board of directors of both companies and is expected to close during the second quarter of 2020, subject to regulatory approvals.

WASHINGTON--NAB has announced several new members of its PILOT program, which promotes technology collaboration between broadcasters and educators, advocates and companies.

The new members include AWS Elemental, an Amazon Web Services Company; Facebook Journalism Project; and Xperi. Members of PILOT collaborate with broadcasters to define key areas for development of innovative technologies and services for media companies with a focus on artificial intelligence and machine learning; augmented and virtual reality; platform engagement; multi-platform measurement; the connected car; and Next Gen TV.

AWS Elemental is an Amazon Web Services company that combines deep video expertise with the power and scale of the cloud to provide nimble, flexible software-based video processing and delivery solutions. With AWS Elemental, customers can harness the elasticity of the cloud when needed, on demand and with pay as you go services.

Facebook Journalism Project (FJP) was created in January 2017 to establish stronger ties between Facebook and the news industry. FJP works to collaboratively develop new products and provide tools and training for journalists through partnerships and programs with news organizations.

Xperi Corporation creates technology solutions in areas such as premium audio, automotive, broadcast, mobile computing and communications, memory and data storage, among others. Xperi Corporation brands include DTS, FotoNation, HD Radio, Invensas and Tessera.

PILOT members will also participate in NAB technology program development, conventions and networking events. Other PILOT members include Accenture, Avis Budget Group, Frankly, Google, IBM, Lakana, Nielsen, and Oath.