In a world full of smart TV operating systems like Roku, Google TV, Amazon Fire TV, and many more, TiVo hopes there is room for one more option.
Say Hello to TiVo OS
The first television powered by a TiVo OS will arrive in the United States next month. A Sharp 55-inch QLED set will feature three HDMI ports and support for Dolby Atmos. There’s no word on how much the TV will cost. TVs with the OS are already available in Europe.
According to the company, TiVo OS features a comprehensive approach to content management and discovery. It will aggregate content from streaming services, linear TV channels, and sports content. The OS supports a wide variety of free and paid streaming services. Over time, the OS will learn from viewing habits and provides personalized suggestions for your unique preferences.
The OS also allows for voice navigation to search and access entertainment with a spoken command. It’s unknown whether that feature will be part of the Sharp model.
Will Anyone Want a TiVo-Powered TV?
Smart TVs are everywhere with an interchangeable number of operating systems. For TiVo OS to be successful, the TV sets will likely need to be priced competitively with other models while offering standout features.
Even if you have a smart TV, you might not want to even connect it to the internet. Many smart TV models capture details of what you watch for targeted ads, raising some substantial privacy concerns.
And if the connection between smart TVs and advertising wasn’t problematic enough, Walmart recently purchased the Vizio TV brand to accelerate its advertising business and targeting ads to television owners.
If you’re already in the market for a smart TV, there are a number of important specs to check out before making a purchase. And even if you have a smart TV, using a streaming device like an Apple TV adds a number of nice features without having to worry as much about privacy invading technology.
