To ensure interoperability with the low latency protocol RIST (Reliable Internet Stream Transport), the RIST Forum has released the availability of Virtual Machine images for product and workflow testing. SipRadius developed the VM operating system, which includes an open source library called libRIST, a streaming engine and a web GUI, which provides support for one media stream and two libRIST streams. President Ciro Noronha hailed the VM testing tool as “hugely valuable in promoting easy implementation of RIST and therefore improving interoperability within the industry.”
The Airtel Xstream OTT video app, operated by Indian telco giant Bharti Airtel, has surpassed 1.5 billion multi-DRM licenses served by the cloud-based Nagra Security Services Platform – marking a personal record for cloud.SSP. The Swiss security specialist announced the news after only securing the contract in September 2019.
We feel like the industry is playing a game of virtual cat and mouse at the moment. Synamedia has expanded its video network portfolio with new OTT as-a-service offerings on the back of a partnership with Google Cloud, a few weeks after rival MediaKind made an almost identical announcement. Synamedia says the collaboration combines its own low latency technology for live linear delivery, with Google Cloud’s low latency network. Indeed, there are fine lines between trends and copycats.
Silicon giant Broadcom made a milestone move this week, agreeing to halt all exclusive deals with TV and modem manufacturers in Europe, following an ongoing antitrust investigation by the EU. Broadcom was found to be forcing companies to take half its SoCs for set tops, DSL modems and fiber modems.
Verizon lost 84,000 Fios video subscribers in Q1, shrinking further to a base of 4.07 million. The Fios internet business, on the other hand, saw gains of 59,000, just 39,000 users short of reaching 6 million.
Set top specialist ADB has completed Canal+ Platforma’s second Netflix integration, making the SVoD app available on the French operator’s UltraBox+ platform – this time around with HDR following the initial December 2019 integration.
Orange reported a 3.5% year on year increase in IPTV and satellite TV subscribers, totalling 10 million across its video footprint. In France, it gained 200,000 video subscribers year on year and 39,000 in the last quarter. Spain, however, saw 20,000 net TV cancellations, falling to 698,000.
Swisscom’s TV subscriber base grew marginally by 2.1% during the first quarter of the year, reaching 1.55 million. Broadband connections saw a surprise slump of 0.2% in the period, falling to just over 2.05 million.
The Oscars organizing body will allow movies that debut on OTT video services to partake in the February 2021 awards ceremony. While Faultline has little interest in awards, this marks a significant stride into the mainstream for video streaming.
CDN company Limelight Networks has reported an unprecedented revenue increase, blitzing even its bigger brother Akamai for growth, reporting first quarter 2020 revenue up 32% over last year to $57 million.
Swedish video streaming vendor Net Insight had a difficult first quarter, reporting net sales down 13.5% year on year to $9.5 million. The Media Networks segment was dented by 18.5% in the first three months of the year, falling to $7.7 million, while Resource Optimization saw a very different outcome, increasing 19.5% to $1.8 million. Positive momentum at the beginning of Q1, including the acquisition of Aperi’s product portfolio and winning its first deal for the Nimbra Edge cloud-based technology, was ultimately offset by the pandemic’s impact on the market towards the close of Q1.
Research firm SuperData has revised its forecast on mixed reality (XR) hardware and consumer software due to the impact of Covid-19, shaving $1.4 billion off the original figure to project $6.3 billion in revenue this year. By 2023, it expects a $12.2 billion industry, of which VR will account for $5.1 billion, while AR/MR headsets will make $4.4 billion, and mobile AR will account for $2.8 billion.
Japanese broadcaster NHK has produced a 3D TV panel which does not require dedicated 3D glasses. Called Atkina Vision, the technology produces some 2 million pixels (similar to HD TV), increasing the number of pixels from the 300,000 in NHK’s previous model. NHK says light rays are reproduced from multiple viewpoints, by capturing objects from horizontal and vertical locations.
Troubled Greek telco Forthnet is the topic of a €40 million takeover bid by private equity firm BC Partners, according to local news outlet Ekathemirini. Forthnet owns the pay TV business Nova TV.
Voice assistants will overtake the world’s population by 2024, growing 113% from 2020 to exceed 8.4 billion devices using voice assistants, according to Juniper Research. The report warns that monetizing this proliferation remains a challenge for the voice assistant market.
Launching late May, HBO Max will be pre-integrated on all Apple devices including tvOS and AirPlay support.
Spotify’s monthly active user base during Q1 2020 increased 31% year on year and 5% from the previous quarter. The music streaming platform gained 6 million new paid customers in the quarter and saw a 10 million increase in ad-supported MAUs. Revenue increased 22% over Q1 2019 to €1.85 billion ($2 billion).
Mobile technology pioneer InterDigital has landed a major licensing deal with Huawei for WiFi, HEVC and cellular patents. In the process, the two long-feuding firms have agreed to put aside any pending litigation.
Despite severe strains on the advertising industry, YouTube reported a 33% increase in ad revenues to over $4 billion for Q1 2020.
Orange has signed up network equipment supplier Adtran to develop performance enhancing SDN capabilities for fiber networks – focusing on network nodes, protype evaluations, and field trials, before preparing for a possible deployment in Orange architecture.
The UK’s NHS has decided to ostracize the proposal put forward by US tech giants Apple and Google for developing a contact tracing app. The public healthcare service has developed an in-house app based on standard Apple and Google APIs, still using Bluetooth Low Energy connectivity but doing away with third-party privacy suggestions in favor of its own, at the hindrance of battery consumption which may deter downloads.
Video production firm High End TV has selected a card-based platform from Cobalt Digital for 4K HDR Multiviewer and HDR conversion in the newest production truck.