TiVo is releasing a new software update for its devices that could power your next smart TV. The update, which is available now, includes support for voice search and universal search across all apps on TiVo devices. This means you can easily find what you’re looking for on your TV, even if you don’t know the exact title or episode name. The update also includes support for streaming services like Netflix and Hulu. So now you can watch your favorite shows without having to worry about buffering or waiting for ads to finish. And if you have a TiVo Roamio OTA (over-the-air) box, the update includes support for live TV streaming from channels like ABC, CBS, Fox and NBC. If you’re already using one of TiVo’s devices to power your smart TV, the update is free and available now. If you’re not yet using a TiVo device to power your smart TV, the updated software is available now at tiVox.com or in the App Store or Google Play store. ..
So, why does TiVo want to build its own TV software? Well, all the current TV software providers now push their products and services over competing options — for example, all TVs with Fire OS heavily promote Prime Video. Full customization for TV makers was mostly limited to Android TV, which TiVo used for its Stream 4K stick, but Google started to limit that with the introduction of Google TV. TiVo is now building a white-label operating system for TV devices, allowing TV makers to more fully control the software experience while still maintaining access to popular apps and streaming services.
It remains to be seen if TVs running TiVo’s software will be more convenient and easy to use for buyers, or if they will have the same amount of clutter and advertisements — just from other companies. TiVo says the software has “easy set-up and natural voice navigation,” but it’s not clear which streaming services will be available.
The first “Powered by TiVo” smart TVs will arrive in 2023, starting with models from Vestel, one of the top three European TV manufacturers.
Source: BusinessWire, TiVo
