Smart TV: U.S. And South Korea Fighting China's Chase

After earning enough money to save his popularity, Jobs took another shot. This time he wanted to occupy the TV market. On September 1 this year, Apple released a series of "fist" products, of which the smart TV set-top box that sold only 99 dollars became a new highlight. However, just two days later, LG Electronics exhibited a self-developed smart TV based on NetCast 2.0 at IFA. From Google's Android platform to Apple's Apple TV, from Samsung's bada system to LG's NetCast 2.0, U.S. and South Korean companies have launched a "catch-and-stab fight" around smart TV "systems."

U.S. Enterprises Hit Counterattack

The advantages of the color TV industry are no longer in the hands of U.S. companies. This is an indisputable fact, but Americans are not reconciled. They are fully aware that the future of high-end manufacturing will surely be in the hands of Asians. How to make full use of the advantages of the United States in innovation and application to develop the television industry has become their next topic.
Smart TVs are an opportunity for American companies, or opportunities created by American companies themselves. It has always been their dream to "put in" computers on television. The earliest proposal for this concept was Bill Gates. At that time, Microsoft launched the Venus project and planned to promote it globally. However, it was crushed because all aspects of the industrial chain were not yet perfect. At present, the success of Google and Apple in the smart phone market opens the door for American companies to let them step into the field of smart TVs with confidence.
On May 17 this year, Google and Intel disclosed to the outside world at the Google Global Developer Conference that the two companies reached an agreement with Sony to provide Internet services for flat-panel TVs produced by the latter. On July 16, Google announced the acquisition of a database company. The company maintains an open database called Freebase, which contains 12 million entries covering movies, books, TV shows, and corporate information.
In this regard, Ma Weide, general manager of Intel's digital consumer electronics retail consumer electronics market, is full of confidence. He said: "On the market, Internet TV is still in its infancy, and it needs to bundle fixed content and applications. Smart TV is an open platform that can load unlimited content and unlimited applications."
Mawide’s open platform allows Jobs to “stand still”. On September 1, Apple released the Apple TV smart TV set-top box. In 2011, it will launch TV products that support movies, music, games, and interactive features. However, Apple also left room for its own, that is, its current smart TV set-top box can not load the Apple App Store games and applications.

South Korean companies to carry out defense

Regardless of Google’s “inside fight” with Apple, in fact, the most hit in this wave of smart TVs should be considered Korean companies. Since the popularity of LCD TVs, Korean companies have grabbed the right to speak from the hands of Japanese companies, and their industrial chain advantages are also very obvious.
According to research firm DisplaySearch, Samsung and LGD currently account for more than half of global LCD panel shipments in terms of LCD panel shipments. In terms of terminals, the global market share of Samsung and LG LCD TVs in the second quarter of this year was 24.4% and 14.1%, respectively, accounting for the top two in the world.
However, Korea has no advantage in the field of smart TVs, especially smart TV systems. Faced with tremendous pressure from US companies, Korean companies have chosen different strategies to deal with.
The current choice of LG is "resistance." On September 3rd this year, LG Electronics exhibited a self-developed smart TV based on NetCast 2.0. In order to increase the convenience of the graphical user interface (GUI), it arranged VOD service, live broadcast, App Store, etc. on the same screen. Features.
Samsung's current choice is "fusion." On September 6, Yoon Boo Keun, head of Samsung's TV business, said Samsung may launch a TV based on Google's Android system. He said: "We are evaluating whether to use the Android system in the TV." In fact, in the field of smart phones, Samsung has also launched its own operating system bada against Google and Apple. Bada can also be used on televisions.
The statement made by Li Xiangguo, executive director and general manager of the Planning and Marketing Department of the Mobile Communications Department of Samsung (China) Investment Co., Ltd., during an exclusive interview with the China Electronics News reporter may be able to disclose some information to us. He said: “Samsung operates on smartphones. The system is open-minded and supports different smart operating systems including Windows Mobile, Android, Symbian, OMS, and bada to maximize the diverse needs of different users.”

Domestic brands find "helper"

The rise of smart TVs has made everyone see the future of the television industry. However, there are also many bad voices in the industry.
For Apple, Avi Greengart, research director of the consumer research firm Current Analysis Inc., said: "Consumers are already frightened by anything linked to television."
For Google, many content owners are suspicious of their business model. Currently, Google has held talks with senior executives of ABC, CBS, Fox, and NBC to encourage them to use Google's services. The outcome is still uncertain.
In China, there are two voices in the color TV industry.
On the one hand, Yang Dongwen, Vice President of Skyworth Group, said in an interview with a reporter from China Electronics News: “Since the current policy is still unclear, Skyworth has not launched a smart TV program.”
On the other hand, Konka, TCL, and Hisense have begun to deploy in the smart TV field. Konka launched a new generation of Internet TV network Rui LED TV with an open platform, Hisense launched a multi-tasking operating system LED TV with Widget, TCL launched the Android platform smart TV.
Some people say that China’s color TV companies may have jumped from a “fire pit” into another “fire pit” for smart TVs. Smart TVs do not have a large market. However, in the reporter's view, the fierce competition between American and Korean companies on smart systems is just a good opportunity for Chinese companies.
At present, the content of China's Internet TV is still relatively scarce, and TV companies must obtain the relevant content to cooperate with three companies that have obtained content integration licenses. The smart TV has an open platform. The Internet function is just a function of the smart TV. Consumers can install any application they are interested in outside the Internet so that the TV can truly become a home entertainment terminal.
Taking a step back, even if there are many bottlenecks in the current Internet TV content, Chinese companies also have many "helpers." The fierce competition from giants such as Google, Apple, Samsung, and LG can, on the one hand, reduce the purchase costs of Chinese companies, and on the other hand, it can also promote the overall upgrade of content.
Before this, the Internet TVs launched by China's color TV companies were all based on their own built platforms, which meant that they were somewhat alone. Joining hands with these giants can not only open up the industry chain and increase the added value of China's corporate products, but also allow giants to share risks and pressures with domestic companies.
In addition, regarding whether system manufacturers have the problem of charging after market expansion, Liang Tiehang, vice president of the TCL Research Institute, told the “China Electronics News” reporter: “Android’s current open platform is also difficult to charge later. ."