Vestel has extended its content offering with the Opera TV Store.
Vestel will use the Opera TV Store to expand their existing app portal rapidly across all new Vestel Smart TVs. These TVs will be available in Europe and most other regions from the second quarter of 2014 through Vestel’s own and OEM brands.
“Our clients are constantly seeking new customized services and a premium TV experience for their viewers. Increasing the quality and quantity of TV apps was of utmost importance, and Opera Software’s solution realizes this vision,” says Hakan Kutlu, deputy general manager at Vestel.
“The capability to provide our clients with local applications, quickly and easily, was key in our decision to work with Opera. We encourage more clients and content owners to bring their content to the Opera TV Store and Vestel.”
The Opera TV Store features hundreds of apps, for everything from video on demand, music and games to news, social media and utilities. It has been deployed on millions of devices globally, including connected TVs, set-top boxes and Blu-ray Disc players.
This new agreement builds on an existing cooperation between Opera Software and Vestel, which have worked together since 2012. Vestel has deployed the Opera Devices Software Development Kit and Opera’s HbbTV technology on its TVs and set-top boxes, to power Vestel’s Smart TV solution including popular services such as YouTube on TV, BBC iPlayer and Spotify.
“We are excited to further strengthen our relationship with Vestel, and to bring Europe’s largest TV manufacturer on board as yet another customer for the Opera TV Store,” says Aneesh Rajaram, SSVP for TV and devices, Opera Software.
“Working with Vestel will enable the Opera TV Store to reach numerous new TV brands and markets, as well as rapidly increasing the audience for app providers and content owners in the store.”
In a related development, Opera said that US cable operator RCN is bringing the Opera TV Store to TiVo set-top boxes. It is the first pay-TV cable operator to launch Opera Software’s app platform on its TiVo devices, and the first TiVo operator deployment following the partnership to bring the Opera TV Store to TiVo set-top boxe