Vudu offers Web applications, programming
Company to open service to third-party developers
By Susanne Ault -- Video Business, 12/15/2008
DEC. 15 | Vudu has added a Web platform for its set-top boxes, which will deliver access to YouTube and photo site Flickr as well as such TV series as Today, The Rachel Maddow Show and MTV News.
Starting Tuesday, all Vudu users will be able to enjoy the Web environment, dubbed Vudu RIA, free of charge. Overall, there will be 120 different Web-based programming channels, including high-def content from such TV brands as Nova and National Geographic.
Additionally, starting in the first half of 2009, Vudu will open up the service to third-party developers who want to create Web applications for Vudu users.
The company’s goal is to allow consumers to watch Web programming more comfortably in their living rooms and on their high-def screens. Vudu especially wants to take advantage of growing availability of Web-delivered high-def content, which management believes is best viewed on consumers’ high-def TV sets.
Vudu recently improved its set-top experience by offering more than 1,000 titles in its proprietary high-def format HDX. The company’s overall high-def and standard-def library stands at more than 10,000 titles, which users view on TVs via broadband-enabled set-top boxes. Its boxes start at $299.
“From sports video to science and technology, we strongly believe that the trend for HD [on the Web] will accelerate in the next 12 months,” said Edward Lichty, Vudu executive VP of strategy and content. “There is a growing body of content on the Web that we believe is useful and better consumed in the living room.”
Regarding inviting others to develop applications, Lichty added, “This will create a rich ecosystem on Vudu that will be valuable.”
He believes the Web addition will be well received by customers. In a soft economic environment, Vudu sales have climbed with such recent programming enhancements as HDX.
“I can say we have seen growth in sales at [retail partner] Best Buy, and it has been clear that their foot traffic is slow,” said Lichty, declining to reveal exact results.
He added, “I think that people have been talking a lot about how to bring the Web into the living room, and I don’t think anyone has ever really done it. [Vudu] will deliver high-performance with a set-top box.”
