Intel’s Set Top Box Launch Delayed

By: Umair Yousuf  |   January 8th, 2013   |   Gadgets, News

Companies across the United States are looking to get into the lucrative television set top box business but face increasing difficulty in setting up content deals with media companies.

 

This one issue has squashed many an attempt by America’s technology giants to revolutionise the television viewing experience. Now another big tech firm has run into the same big obstacle.

 

Intel Corp. known for its processors that power most personal computers across the globe, has seen the launch of its own set top box put on hold due to issues in completing content deals with media companies according to sources close to the negotiations cited by the Wall Street Journal.

 

Rumours suggesting Intel’s potential entrance into the set top box market have been doing the rounds for months now, when the chipmaker ended its deal to provide chips for Boxee and Google TV, while a detailed reveal was expected at the ongoing CES exhibition taking place in Las Vegas.

 

However, that has not been the case and sources close to negotiations with content providers suggested to the Wall Street Journal that Intel will likely launch the new device in the mid or fourth quarter of 2013 as negotiations with media companies drag on with no end in sight.

 

Intel’s experience is no different than those faced by other such content streaming services which sought to combine traditional television services with Web video. Google TV and Boxee continue to face the same problems with the search giant’s offering still blocked from accessing websites of broadcast networks and Hulu.

 

Apple TV itself faced huge issues getting content onto its device and still there are only a limited number of applications available on the device.

 

Intel has big plans for its own TV set top box but their realisation will continue to depend on the whims of broadcast media that have traditionally been a big obstacle in the way of such devices.

 

It remains to be seen when Intel’s negotiators can make a big breakthrough in order to bring their product to the market with consumers left to wait until the kinks are worked out.

 

Source: Venture Beat/ Wall Street Journal