Oslo, Norway – October 15, 2009
Opera Software today announced that ithas joined the cross-industry consortium that is leading the HybridBroadcast Broadband TV (HbbTV) initiative. The purpose of HbbTV is toharmonize the broadcast and broadband delivery of news, information andentertainment to the end consumer through set-top boxes and connected TVs.Opera’s active support of this initiative will ensure the creation ofstandards compliant, value-added, Web-based content and services. The endgoal of Opera’s involvement in HbbTV is to create a seamless, premiumexperience for end-users, with the simplicity of single remote controlaccess to the entire range of TV services available.
HbbTV is based on existing industry and technology standards that theOpera for Connected TVs platform largely supports, including Open IPTVForum (OIPF), CEA-2014 and W3C. Through its support of HbbTV, Opera aimsto help increase the amount new, unique and interoperable services thatbroadcasters, online providers and manufacturers can offer to the viewingpublic.
“Opera Devices SDK, the foundation of the Opera for Connected TVsplatform, is long-time, leading enabler of Web-based middleware, so it isnatural for us to get involved at the core of the HbbTV initiative,helping to shape these new broadcast/broadband services,” said ChristenKrogh, chief development officer, Opera Software. “It is our shared goal,through the HbbTV initiative, to aid the creation of a solid and effectivetechnology and market structure where the amount of viable content is onpar with ever-growing capabilities of today’s advanced TVs and set-topboxes.”