Opera SDK to be the basis of TCL's upcoming line of Smart TVs
It looks like China's TCL isn't just working with Google to grace its line of flat-screen TVs. The TV maker has just announced that its next line of Smart TVs will be powered by yet another well-known web brand -- Opera. Indeed, TCL's E5691, E5510, F3250 and F3500 series of HDTVs will be built on top of Opera's devices SDK for Linux-based devices, and will feature Opera's TV browser and TV Store. Aside from apps and the usual online entertainment options, Opera's TV platform also seeks to offer an enhanced TV experience, so that you can check your Twitter stream while watching your favorite episode of Game of Thrones, for example. Other features of the new line of TCL sets include 3D viewing, multi-screen interaction and the ability to use your phone as a remote control. They're slated to debut in Australia, Europe and Latin America later this year for a yet to be determined price, with no word on their North American presence. This is not the first time Opera has entered the Smart TV space, but TCL's adoption does lend additional legitimacy to the company's silver screen venture.
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Opera unleashed on TCL TVs
TCL rolls out full suite of Opera web TV products
Oslo, Norway, and Beijing, China – July 18, 2013
TCL, one of the largest consumer electronics enterprises in China, today announced that the web experience on its newest Smart TV range will be built on top of the Opera Devices Software Development Kit (SDK) for Linux-based devices, and will feature Opera's TV browser and Opera TV Store.
A key industry player in the TV space and the third largest television producer globally, TCL is the newest manufacturer to select all three Opera Software products to enable a truly connected experience on their TVs. This adds another OEM to the Opera TV Store ecosystem, expanding the reach of the cloud-based application store for Smart TVs.
Opera will power the viewer web experience on TCL's E5691, E5510, F3520 and F3500 series of Smart TVs. These models will be for sale in globally from the third quarter of 2013, launching first in Australia, Europe and Latin America. As more and more consumers expect web content on their TVs, TCL is offering customers new features such as 3D view, multi-screen interaction, remote control via mobile phone and more. Opera in addition will offer a web experience to connect to the web, apps and entertainment for enhanced TV viewing.
"TCL stands for The Creative Life, and the company always strives to offer customers only the most innovative and creative products. Smart TV will trigger a fundamental shift from TV as a passive medium to watch programs, to a device that offers more entertainment choices including apps and the World Wide Web," said Stan Hu, Director of Overseas Product Planning, TCL. "We're glad to cooperate with Opera, the leader in the connected TV field. With Opera's suite of world-class products, we are sure that we will bring to market a successful flagship product that will contribute to our global strategy."
"Opera is proving to the be the leading choice for original equipment manufacturers to enable prime web content and popular regional services on Smart TVs, with our SDK now deployed on tens of millions of devices," said Aneesh Rajaram, Senior Vice-President for TV & Devices, Opera Software. "This cooperation will help TCL's customers get rich selections of TV-optimized content and bring the fun and power of the web to their living rooms."
