Intel Confirms Web TV Ambitions

Intel confirms ambitions to enter the online TV market-- at the AllThingsD Dive Into Media conference Intel corporate VP of media Erik Huggers claims the company will provide a "superior experience" to what is currently available.

IntelThe development comes from Intel's newly formed media division formed by former Apple, Jawbone, BBC and Microsoft employees.

Apparently already in testing, the Intel service delivers live TV via the internet (with smaller channel bundles than what cable companies offer) and a "Catch Up TV" video-on-demand service on both TVs (via STB) and mobile devices.

In other words, the company is gunning for both cable and video-on-demand business through an Intel-powered "an all in one solution" providing "not a value play but a quality play.”

The mysterious Intel STB also has a feature perhaps more attractive to advertisers than potential customers-- a built-in camera tracking viewers in the name of "personalisation." As Huggers puts it, "my kids may watch programming geared toward them, and I’ll watch programming geared toward me... If there’s a way to distinguish who is watching what, advertisers can then target ads at the proper parties."

Intel still faces a major hurdle-- actual content. Huggers says he is working with providers and believes deals will be finalised by end 2013. However analysts are cynical, with some admitting doubts Intel will even manage to launch the service.

"The chance that Intel launches is zero," GershonMedia tells Reuters. "They haven't cut any deals with any content companies, and they are not offering something that differentiates itself enough on service or price to get the deals done."

Rumours Intel is working on a web TV service first surfaced on March 2012 from the Wall Street Journal, before Reuters confirmed such reports on June.

Go Erik Huggers Makes His Case for Intel's Web TV Service (AllThingsD)

Go Intel Plans Online TV Service as PC Sales Wane (Reuters)