Broadband TV News speaks with Ye Wang, the CEO of SERAPHIC, about the company’s activities and plans for the future.
Can you give us some background on SERAPHIC? When was the company formed, where is it based and what areas is it active in?
SERAPHIC, founded in 2013, is a leading digital TV browser and “TV+ Internet” solution provider. It is also the first Blink-based HTML5 TV browser vendor (after Chrome embedded in Android TV). Its headquarters is in Shanghai. Its management group consists of senior experts with extensive executive experience in the digital TV/broadcasting industry, with international horizons and a sharp business sense.
SERAPHIC is dedicated to providing internet-related software and web-based solutions to all TV/video-related terminal devices including smart TVs, set-top boxes, over-the-top devices, game consoles, etc. SERAPHIC has already closely cooperated with clients and partners from all over the world such as Hisense, TCL, Haier, Sharp, UMC, Foxxum, MStar, etc.
What solutions do SERAPHIC currently offer and what are their main attributes?
SERAPHIC currently offers four solutions, namely Global OTT Solution, Standard Hybrid Internet TV Solution, Premium Web App Solution and HTML5 TV Software Solution, for its customers. Their main attributes are listed below:
Global OTT Solution
SERAPHIC Global OTT Solution, powered by Sraf Blink-based HTML5 browser, provides TV/STB manufacturers with the support of the mainstream smart TV portals with 2000+ global TV apps pre-integrated from 3rd party TV Portal vendors, and the advanced Open Browser. This solution significantly helps manufacturers deploy their products globally with faster time-to-market.
Standard Hybrid Internet TV Solution
Standard Hybrid Internet TV Solution is compatible with mainstream hybrid TV standards, including HbbTV, Freeview+, as well as the latest Freeview Play standard. This solution provides strong technical support for TV/STB manufacturers’ hybrid TV businesses by following the latest standards continuously.
Premium Web App Solution
Sraf Web App solution is based on the solid browser experience of SERAPHIC and verified with the mainstream SoC providers as a pre-built solution. It has been proved to be a valuable function portfolio for smart DTV products. SERAPHIC cooperates with many mainstream web apps in the form of technical discussion, specification pre-support, etc, which enables SERAPHIC to provide ready-to-deploy a web app solution, supporting the most popular VOD services such as YouTube, Chili TV, Maxdome, BBC, All 4, and ITV for TV/STB manufacturers.
HTML5 TV Software Solution
HTML5 TV Software Solution, extended and customized based on Sraf® HTML5 Browser engine, is used for TV manufacturers to develop the HTML5 based system UI. This HTML5 based UI enhances user experience as well as portability and expansibility.
What markets have they been deployed in to date?
SERAPHIC’s product offering has been deployed in over 40 countries and regions, including Italy, Germany, UK, Brazil, Australia, Thailand, South America, India, Korea, etc.
Do you see SERAPHIC’s involvement in the rollout of Freeview- Play-compliant smart TVs in the UK as significant for the company and if so why?
Freeview Play is set to be the next generation of the UK’s No. 1 TV platform. As a major European market with great growth potential, the UK is a key target for those manufacturers who aim to expand in the overseas connected TV market and boost global sales of connected TV devices. It is probable that more European countries will join the Freeview Play club in future.
SERAPHIC’s Sraf HTML5 Browser passed Freeview Play’s whole set of strict specifications in June 2016, underpinning the upcoming momentum of Freeview Play’s deployment in the mass market. SERAPHIC will first provide such commercial-grade Freeview Play SDK to four major device manufacturers including some renowned global consumer brands. We believe our ready-to-go Freeview Play solution will greatly enhance TV/STB manufacturers’ competitiveness in the connected TV space.
SERAPHIC has recently entered into partnerships with MTC and INTEK Digital. What do they involve and what impact do you expect them to have on the European marketplace?
For years, SERAPHIC has been providing value-added, internet-related software and web-based solutions, ready to go for nearly all global markets, to device manufacturers, whose time-to-market will therefore be significantly accelerated. It is also renowned for good understanding of the global DTV and STB market as well as rapid customer support. All those advantages will greatly help MTC and INTEK Digital improve market penetration in Europe.
Shenzhen MTC is the largest China-based TV ODM and it adopts SERAPHIC’s Sraf HTML5 browser to launch affordable smart TVs in Europe. SERAPHIC will offer its competitive DTV solutions such as certifiable YouTube TV 2017, TV Portal and Open Browser to MTC.
INTEK Digital, a renowned set-top box manufacturer from Korea, will cooperate with SERAPHIC firstly on HbbTV 1.5 and later HbbTV 2.0 compliant products, targeting global STB markets in Germany, Portugal, etc.
Looking to the future, are there any particular technological areas SERAPHIC sees opportunities in?
SERAPHIC is determined to pursue the latest web technologies and introduce these technologies into the DTV/STB industry. In the future, we are expecting to work with manufacturers to provide charming products for consumers. SERAPHIC will work more deeply with SoC vendors, middleware providers and other industry partners to provide a one-stop web solution for consumers and operators in DTV/STB markets. SERAPHIC is an active participant to co-work with operators and industry associations to provide creative products and services with our leading web technologies.
