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

February 01, 2015

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