Yahoo to bring web to TVs
- Added:
- Jan 08, 2009
Yahoo has revealed the technology partners it is working with to bring its online web and video services to a new generation of high definition TVs, opening up a new avenue for advertisers in the process.
Yahoo has struck deals with Samsung LG Electronics, Sony and Vizio, which will make high-definition TVs that support Yahoo's online service.
The first of these new TVs could be launched by this spring and will support widgets that run alongside broadcast TV content, that link viewers to Web content.
The applications can be used for a range of Web activities, such as watching videos on YouTube.com, social networking on MySpace.com, tracking stocks and sports teams, buying and selling on eBay, messaging friends using Twitter, or using Yahoo's own photo-sharing website Flickr.
The widgets will allow viewers more interaction with the programs they're watching, Yahoo said. There will also be applications based on Yahoo-branded services such as Yahoo Finance.
Yahoo will use the technology as a new avenue to sell advertising. The technology also allows outsiders to write TV applications for the platform.
The service was originally announced by Yahoo last August in conjunction with Intel Corp, the world's largest chipmaker. However, Samsung, LG, Sony and Vizio will not be using Intel chips in their widget-enabled TVs.