Opera Software brings HTML5 apps to your TV

Posted by Richard Kastelein in Breaking News on September 01, 2011  |  0 Comments More from this author  |    |  Follow Richard Kastelein on: Facebook | LinkedIn | Twitter | YouTube

Turn on, tune in, surf apps! Apps are coming to TVs in a huge way, and Opera Software now gives TV OEMs and developers the tools they need to make the Next Big Thing on TV sets.

Introducing the Opera TV Store, a complete HTML5 based store solution for easy implementation into connected TVs by OEMs and easily reached by developers and content providers.

Got an idea for that killer app missing on the TV platform? With the Opera TV Store, developers can reach a large, installed base of compatible TVs and devices, using fast and easy tools to develop all kinds of apps. Movie trailer apps, Video on Demand apps, games, news apps, vodcast and podcast apps are now easy to develop and deliver to customers for developers using the Opera TV Store.

The Opera TV Store extends beyond connected TVs, making it an all-device experience. Running on the TV, set-top box or a Blu-ray player makes no difference for the Opera TV Store. Using the flexibility of the web platform, development and deployment of apps is done in a snap.

“Traditionally, the TV has been pretty static as a device. The era when you had to buy more expensive equipment to get new functions in the TV is over,” said Lars Boilesen, CEO, Opera Software. “New approaches to TV software, such as the Opera TV Store, makes it easier for OEMs to implement smarter functions on connected TVs and content providers to reach a wider audience with their HTML5 apps.”

The app always shines on TV

OEMs can harness the power of a multitude of developers to enrich the consumer TV world with after-market apps. The Opera TV Store can be installed on any device or connected TV and a wide array of content partners reached through the store.

For developers, the Opera TV Store means a quick and easy way to reach millions of users right in their living rooms. If a TV is based on the Opera SDK 3.1, Opera TV Store and its content is just a click away. An HTML5-based solution makes compatibility and app development quick and easy. Cloud-based storage of the users’ apps means no worries about storage, updates and upgrades, the Opera TV Store shines on all levels of connected TVs.

Running on top of the powerful Opera engine, the Opera TV Store supports HTML5, SVG, Canvas, CE-HTML and OIPF based applications which provide both the rich environment seen in desktop browsers, and the TV specific environment developers are used to in the TV markets.

But wait, there’s more!

Content providers have been adding apps for the debut of the Opera TV Store, and several leading web services have already published their apps.

"Vimeo is excited to be developing for such a great platform as Opera TV Store," said Andrew Pile, VP of Product Development, Vimeo. "We're always looking to expand Vimeo everywhere and with the addition of Opera TV Store, we continue to bring high quality content to a wider audience."

As for ease of porting to the Opera TV Store, it’s a snap for anyone with HTML5 app knowledge:

"After developing the DriveCast app for such different platforms as Yahoo! ConnectedTV, Samsung SmartTV and Philips NetTV, porting the app to Opera TV Store was really easy sailing," said Giorgio Bernardi, President and CTO, Inrete. “The development of an app for the Opera TV Store is really an easy task for any developer of web applications."

“Cooperation with Opera has been very smooth. Due to the easy to use and standard based Opera TV Solution, Foreca weather application development has been rapid,” said Marko Moilanen, VP Business Development, Foreca.

“We are overly happy to be part of the Opera TV store,” said Holger G. Weiss, CEO, AUPEO. “The Opera TV Store allows us to offer our free music discovery service on millions of devices worldwide with just one deployment. The technical integration worked well as Opera provided the latest tools and an outstanding support.”

The new Opera TV Store also bodes well for developers of games for the platform:

"We're excited to launch a range of Funspot games on the Opera TV Store," said Michael Lantz, CEO, Accedo. "Casual games are popular applications, and HTML5-based Opera TV solution offers a vast range of new possibilities that are particularly attractive for gaming."

“We are very happy to be included in Opera TV Store,” said Marco Dufour, CEO, DDM Srl and head of the project CineTrailer.tv. “We share the same attention to R&D Opera devotes to its products, and the same vision about the potential of the Smart TV market. Thanks to Opera TV Store and its widespread diffusion, we will have the possibility to reach platforms we presently do not cover, and, both as developers and content providers, this is really important to us.”

As of today, Opera TV Store is available as trial software for OEMs and Content Providers and will be shown at ShowStoppers in IFA (Sept. 1, 6:00pm to 9:00pm Messe-Berlin Fairgrounds - Building 15.2) and IBC in Amsterdam (Sept. 9-13- Booth 5.B47). For more information, contact Pål Unanue-Zahl (palu@opera.com / mobile: +47 99 73 79 51).