HDTV via cellphones is coming by 2006
Ho hum, several manufacturers including Texas Instruments are working on chips that will allow cellphones to receive digital television signals. They expect widespread availability by 2006—the technology is already being tested in South Korea by SK Telecom. The new hardware-based receivers are different than current software versions, as they receive much better sound and can display much higher frame rates and higher-resolution HDTV signals. The industry envisions users checking in on sports and news broadcasts and "watching short shows at cafes." A few questions remain, of course, like battery life, specialized programming, and the big one: will people pay extra for TV on their phones? The providers are sure hoping so.
