Telecom Lead America: Time Warner Cable on Tuesday said it is ready to offer content directly to Samsung Smart TVs without a set top box (STB).
Time Warner Cable’s TWC TV application, available from this summer, on compatible Samsung Smart TVs, gives more flexibility to customers.
The new initiative enables customers to download the TWC TV application without any additional cost on their compatible Samsung Smart TV without a set-top box. Time Warner Cable video subscribers will have instant access to 5,000 Video On Demand titles from nearly 100 networks.
Eric Anderson, VP of Content and Product Solutions at Samsung Electronics America, said: “The application will provide existing Time Warner Cable subscribers with more control and choice for how they access their Time Warner Cable content over their Samsung Smart TVs without having to be tethered to their cable box.”
SmartTV is an important product for Samsung in the TV market. In April 2012, global market research agency IHS said shipments of televisions in 2012 amounted to 238.5 million units, down 6.3 percent from 254.6 million in 2011. Shipments aren’t expected to rise back to the 2011 level until 2015, when they will amount to 253.1 million units.
“Time Warner Cable is giving customers more flexibility in how they watch the content they love through our TWC TV application for Samsung Smart TVs,” said Mike Angus, senior vice president and general manager, Video for Time Warner Cable.
The TWC TV application will be available for download initially on 2012 Samsung Smart TVs and the 2013 Samsung Smart TVs soon afterwards. Channel line-ups vary by market and depend on the video subscription package to which a customer subscribes.
