LatAm June 2016 | Page 3

Brazil economy hits pay-TV subs

SERAPHIC TCL ’ s 4K UHDTV

TCL , one of world ’ s largest consumer electronics groups , has teamed up with SERAPHIC , who have provided the Blink-based Sraf HTML5 browser for its 4K UHDTV platform . The initial target market is Latin America .

As consumption upgrades , dramatic changes occurs in the global consumer
electronics sector and TV consumers set high expectations for picture quality , content choice , interactive speed , etc . Embedded with Sraf HTML5 TV browser , the TCL 4K UHDTV enables intuitive user experiences alongside abundant OTT contents , high definition pictures , smooth navigation , support of multiple format HD videos and even 4K videos .
The Sraf HTML5 TV browser has rapidly emerged in the international digital TV industry and held a fast-rising global market share . It is a Blink-based , market-proven software solution which supports various TV standards including the latest HbbTV 2.0 , Freeview Play , YouTube 2016 , etc . With over 1,000 global TV apps pre-integrated , it provides TV manufacturers with support in mainstream smart TV portals , popular VOD content , including icflix , GoLive , Maxdome , advanced open Internet browser , etc . It has
“ We have been actively expanding our overseas market .”
been ported to various TV / STB SoCs from MStar , Sigma Designs , Broadcom , Alitech , Realtek , Novatek and Hisilicon .
“ TCL is now a globalised corporation providing smart appliances and Internet-based services ,” said Jeff Huang , Director of TCL TV +. “ We have been actively expanding our overseas market and so need to create a more complete and sophisticated product lineup . SERAPHIC is an ideal global partner who has deep know-how in the TV field , innovative spirit and strong R & D capabilities .”

Vonetize launches ‘ MoviePass ’ across Brazil

Fully-managed VoD service provider Vonetize has launched a new promotional programme , MoviePass , allowing users to pre-pay for rental movies at a reduced cost . Movie Pass will be available on Samsung Smart TVs and mobile devices through Vonetize ’ s SmartVOD platform , rolling out in both Brazil and Israel .

Since launching in Brazil December 2015 , Vonetize has accumulated over 600,000 active users . Brazilian users will now be able to rent their favourite movie titles with up to a 30 % discount through Movie Pass ’ pre-paid pass based programme . These passes are available with five , 10 or 15 movie titles .
“ A decade ago , all us movie lovers had membership cards and Rental Gift Cards to our local video store because we knew that it was the place to go to rent our favourite films ,” noted Vonetize CEO Noam Josephides . “ MoviePass modernises the experience but sticks to the principle of pay less and watch more ,
“ MoviePass sticks to the principle of pay less and watch more .” all in the comfort of your own home .”
For consumers in Brazil , films are localised with subtitles dubbing and UI in Portuguese . Users are able to download purchased content to their tablets or smartphones for high quality offline viewing . Vonetize provides viewers in Brazil with on-demand rental and purchase of recent Hollywood films and hundreds of great blockbuster titles for
the entire family , without requiring any commitment or subscription .
“ As a leader in the consumer electronics market , Samsung is thrilled to offer Vonetize ’ s SmartVOD service and their new MoviePass on our devices in Brazil ,” said Priscila Grison , product marketing manager for TV at Samsung Brazil . “ We know our customers expect top quality and MoviePass on SmartVOD provides affordable access to the best content , enhancing our mobile , tablet , and smart TV offerings .”
Vonetize ’ s MoviePass will be available on all Samsung Smart TVs and mobile devices in Brazil and Israel , and will continue to roll out throughout Latin America . MoviePass plans to provide up to 30 % consumer discount on new release rentals .
Brazil economy hits pay-TV subs
The Brazilian economic downturn is hurting pay-TV in the country . Data from the country ’ s National Telecommunications Agency ( Anatel ) shows that pay-TV subscriptions have fallen 5.4 % since a year ago ( to 18.91 million ).
The data , gathered at the end of April , also shows that the overall subs numbers have fallen 0.3 % since the end of March . Anatel states that DTH remains the dominant distribution technology with 10.85 million subs ( 57.42 % of the total ), followed by cable TV with 7.85 million ( 41.56 %).
Brazil ’ s mobile market leader is Telecom Americas ( América Móvil ) which had 9.82 million subscribers ( 51.94 % market share ), followed by Sky Brasil / AT & T with 5.33 million ( 28.24 %), Telefónica with 1.77 million ( 9.40 %) and Oi with 1.18 million ( 6.27 %).
LATAM Briefing 3