43 OTT TV FILES Android TV
Words by Adrian Pennington AGE OF THE NDROID Android TV is becoming a de facto option for many operators. But this glosses over the necessary integration of software with key hardware, and the customised UI needed to differentiate and secure each operator
ith the biggest installed base of any mobile platform, Alphabet’s Android operating system is now on the fast
device that allows companies, such as pay TV operators, to customise the platform from boot-up screens, the UI and even the set-up experience. Many elements of Google software, including Play Store, Chromecast, in-app billing and the Google Assistant, come straight out-of-the-box, all of which slashes development costs and time to market. In exchange, operators do relinquish some control, admit software updates every 90 days and many will still need to seek a partner to tailor the system. Integration of the software with key hardware and a customised UI is needed to differentiate and secure each operator. Lawrence Brickman, vice-president of pay TV at Accedo, says: “Android TV is the first viable and scalable platform that allows for a true integration of operator- provided services and OTT services. In addition, Google has made tremendous strides towards a standardised
environment that allows for development with common tools and languages. It provides a UI development environment that is extremely performant and yet is abstracted from the underlying OS, conditional access systems and other low-level functionality.” Stefan Blickensdörfer, technical director of 3 Screen Solutions (3SS), adds: “With Operator Tier, Google is giving service providers that extra super- compelling element needed to build brand and service loyalty – a custom user interface. This is that single most powerful must-have that is bringing operators to Android TV in droves.” SECOND BITE OF CHERRY It’s instructive to know ATV Operator Tier failed to take off on launch in 2014. Operators were concerned about the open software’s security, were reluctant to permit Google prominence on the
track to take over television, with many expecting Android TV to be the market- leading TV platform by 2025. It is already deployed by over 100 pay TV providers around the globe, with Com Hem in Sweden and Vodafone Australia among the most recent adopters. TiVo has developed an Android TV platform and AT&T is working on a version for its DirecTV streaming box. WHAT IS ANDROID TV? Android is a software development platform for digital media players and comes in a couple of flavours: Android TV Operator Tier and Android Open Source Project (AOSP). The latter enables operators to build from the pure Android code base, and gives them full control of the platform, including which apps and services to include. The downside is that all the heavy lifting of integration and design is done by the operator, which inevitably demands more time and more money. Android TV Operator Tier is the one that’s caught on like wildfire. It’s a level of certification for an Android TV
ANDROID TV IS THE FIRST PLATFORM THAT ALLOWS FOR A TRUE INTEGRATION OF OTT SERVICES
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