TiVo Secures Licensing Deal With Sony

TiVo has signed a licensing deal with Sony allowing the company to incorporate TiVo’s personal video recording (PVR) technology into electronic consumer products.

The deal is the first stage in TiVo’s strategy to licence its technology to consumer electronics companies worldwide and represents a significant step for TiVo in creating a broader market for its service.

TiVo UK’s vice president, Andrew Cresci, said: “This deal represents a move towards the mass proliferation of the TiVo PVR technology and service, and will result in exciting products for consumers. It will enable consumers in new markets to experience the benefits of PVR’s first hand via the TiVo service.”

TiVo recently stepped up attempts to expand its subscriber base with the launch of a £3m marketing campaign to increase awareness of the lifestyle benefits of the TiVo system (see TiVo Launches £3m Ad Campaign).

Despite being met with initial scepticism PVR technology, which allows viewers to record live TV and fast forward through adverts, is proving popular with viewers. Sky launched its next generation digibox, with PVR capability, in July (see BSkyB Launches New Set Top Box) and a survey carried earlier in the year by Informa Media predicted that the number of homes worldwide with PVRs will reach 500 million by 2010 (see PVR Homes To Hit 500m By 2010).

TiVo: 08702 418486 www.tivo.co.uk

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