BBC iPlayer, ITV Player and 4oD are banding together into one smart TV app to rule them all: Freeview Connect. And the new smart TV standard could cut YouView out of the loop.
The BBC, ITV and Channel 4 have formed a new alliance to get their catch-up TV services on any and all smart TVs. While they’ll still be separate services, iPlayer, ITV Player and 4OD will be part of one app that’s a standard and can be accessed on any online-connected television. That means you won’t need a YouView set-top box to watch the services in one place on your smart TV.
The alliance comes amid a growing dissatisfaction with broadband providers BT and TalkTalk’s use of YouView — a joint investment between the broadcasters and ISPs — to line their pockets.
The three broadcasters are reported to be motivated by what The Guardian describes as BT and TalkTalk’s “hijacking” of YouView. YouView, which puts Freeview TV and online and catch-up services in one set-top box, was designed to be a standard for such services, and boxes can be bought by anyone. But they ain’t cheap, and YouView’s growth as a service is almost entirely due to boxes given away free by BT and TalkTalk.
Now it seems the broadcasters have grown tired of their ISP partners using their joint investment to recruit new customers: The Guardian reports the BBC will drastically cut its backing for YouView in April.
Although it currently involves free-to-air broadcasters, the group hasn’t ruled out getting pay-TV outfits such as Sky involved too.
Source: [cnet]
