Interactive TV Headlines Round-Up 2/3/15 (VI): Rovi, Samsung, Comcast, Shazam, shomi, SPE, Twitter, Disney, CBS, Sky News, smartclip, Toshiba, Snapchat, Showtime, TabletTV, Telstra

As most of you are probably aware, [itvt]'s daily news reporting was on hiatus for several weeks, because our editorial team was working on TVOT NYC 2014 and then taking a post-event break. In order to catch up with the news we missed during that period, we are covering stories in headlines/round-up format (note: we have marked older stories with the date they originally broke). We expect it will take us a few weeks to catch up with all recent developments, so if you have sent us a press release or briefed us about a piece of news, and don't yet see it covered here, please bear with us.

•  Report: Patent Applications Suggest Rovi Is Developing Brain-Powered EPG's
• Rovi Drops Claim that Virgin Media Infringed on its "372" Patent (EP 1 237 372 B2)
• Report: FCC Document Shows Samsung Building Xfinity XG2 Box for Comcast; Box Includes SanDisk Memory Card that Can Be Used to Power Instant Replays
• UN Launches VR Film for Samsung Gear VR 3D Platform
• ACR Company, Shazam, Closes $30 Million Investment, Valuing Company at $1 Billion+
• Shazam Updates its Windows Phone App (December 16th)
• Shazam Adds Digimarc Print and Audio Identification to its Platform; Companies "Will Work together to Optimize Identification, Engagement and Monetization of All Media and Every Element of the Marketing Mix of Consumer Brands, Broadening the Portfolio of Engagement Opportunities--in More Media and More Environments--for Shazam's Users"
• Rogers' and Shaw's You.i-Designed Broadband SVOD Service, shomi, Signs Content Deal with Sony Pictures Entertainment; Deal also Gives shomi Exclusive SVOD Rights to a Line-Up of Amazon Original Series
• shomi Taps Twitter for Launch Marketing Campaign (November 21st)
• shomi in Content Deal with Disney (November 19th)
• shomi in Content Deal with CBS Studios International (November 13th)
• Singtel, Sony Pictures Television, Warner Bros. Entertainment Launch Asian OTT SVOD Service, "HOOQ"
• Sky News to Integrate its Online and TV Operations in "Fundamental Transformation"
• Germany's smartclip in Smart-TV Advertising Partnership with Toshiba; Deal Will See smartclip "Deliver[ing] Digital Video Campaigns on the Home Screens of Toshiba Devices throughout Europe"
• Snapchat Unveils Curated Video Service, "Snapchat Discover"; Launch Partners Include ESPN, CNN, Yahoo News, National Geographic and Cosmopolitan
• AT&T, Astronauts Wanted, Fullscreen Team on Scripted Snapchat Show, "SnapperHero"; Show Features YouTube and Vine Stars
• Snapchat Premieres Original Series, "Literally Can't Even," from Sasha Spielberg and Emily Goldwyn
• "PlayStation Network" to Become Umbrella Brand for all Sony's Online Entertainment Offerings
• Starz Partners with DTS to Bring "DTS-HD" Audio Technology to its "TV Everywhere" Services on Xbox One
• Suddenlink Launches Showtime Networks' "TV Everywhere" Service
• SymbolShifters Embeds Codes in Video Streams to Enable Interactivity on Older DTV Receivers; Company Was Founded by Cable Veterans, Walt Ciciora and Ted Hartson
• Motive Television to Integrate Google's Chromecast into its TabletTV Apps, Allowing Users to Send Content to Living-Room TV's
• Motive Television Teams with Granite Broadcasting to Launch TabletTV in the US; Will Initially Target SF Bay Area (December 18th)
• TabletTV Launches in UK (December 8th)
• Australia's Telstra Launches "Global Media Switch" Video-Delivery Platform; Telstra Acquired Ooyala Last August and Invested in Elemental in December