Six new manufacturers and solution providers joined the Smart TV Alliance to stimulate cross-platform Smart TV applications and services.
New Smart TV Alliance members include manufacturers Panasonic, ABOX42, and TechniSat, and solution providers IBM and Specific Media.
Founders LG Electronics, TP Vision and Toshiba established Smart TV Alliance in 2012 to create a platform-independent services for Smart TV applications. Smart TV Alliance's mission is to create a large ecosystem for Smart TV application development that gives manufacturers a faster path to more and better TV applications, enables developers to write applications once for many different platforms, and provides consumers with content and services.
"Smart TV Alliance members are repairing a fragmented market opportunity for app developers and TV manufacturers, creating the best Smart TV experience for consumers," said Richard Choi, president of Smart TV Alliance from founding member LG Electronics. "Now app developers can concentrate on doing what they do best. Instead of chasing down each manufacturer's individual requirements and compliance process, they can make the most out of their creative energy by developing innovative applications and services."
The Alliance has developed a new software development kit (SDK) for 2013 TVs from global manufacturers. The SDK captures the latest trends and features available to app developers so they will be able to deliver apps for 2013 Smart TVs from LG, TP Vision and Toshiba. The new SDK features include:
For 2013 Smart TVs:
- Richer applications available from upgraded HTML5, CSS3 and JavaScript specifications
- 3D video
- MPEG-DASH support withmore reliable audio and video quality with less stuttering and freezing
- More and better content choices with updated digital rights management (DRM) features that reflect DRM requirements from content owners
For application developers:
- New common emulator allows developers to test an application once to ensure it will work with Smart TV
- Alliance member televisions
- Application compliance checking tool enables developers to test compliance automatically with Smart TV
- Alliance cross-platform requirements
- Advanced debug tools help developers solve application problems faster and more easily
Smart TV Alliance will host two events in Las Vegas on Jan. 9, a press event and a developers' conference.