Dolby Atmos content is stacking up, with DirecTV broadcasting select NBA games in the immersive audio format and adoption growing in gaming, Dougherty & Co.'s Steven Frankel wrote investors. He noted Samsung is the only remaining Dolby Vision "holdout" among major TV makers. Samsung says the HDR10+ global "ecosystem" had expanded to 45 "industry partners." Monday, the analyst cited the irony of Samsung’s surprise CES announcement (see 1901070033) for support of Apple’s iTunes on select TVs “with Apple being a high profile supporter of Dolby Vision.” The growing number of Dolby Vision titles offered by Apple won’t be playable on the Samsung TVs, which will see HDR10 versions instead, he said. Tuesday, Samsung didn't comment.
That Fox isn't bidding on the regional sports networks Disney is selling as part of its buy of Fox's nonbroadcast assets (see 1901110004) is damning evidence of poor prospects of RSNs overall, BTIG Research analyst Rich Greenfield wrote investors Monday. He said Sinclair appears to be the only bidder for all the RSNs -- minus the YES Network, which the New York Yankees likely are pursuing -- with others pursuing specific networks. He said it seems unlikely any company that could ensure wide distribution of the Fox RSNs is in the bidding, and an independent RSN could have trouble maintaining that distribution through the next round of carriage negotiations. Sinclair would likely try to combine its existing retransmission negotiation leverage with the network of RSNs, but that there's not much market overlap between Sinclair stations and the Fox RSNs would weaken its negotiating leverage, he said. In a separate note, BTIG analyst Brandon Ross said YES isn't a likely buyer for MSG Networks, which may be for sale, since the Yankees are interested in YES only to protect their own brand and haven't shown interest in a broader RSN portfolio.
NBCUniversal will roll out a free, ad-supported streaming service in early 2020 focusing on its content library and original programming and some licensed content, the network said Monday as it also announced executive changes. It said the service will be provided free to Comcast Cable and Sky subscribers, by subscription to others. A fee-based ad-free version also will be available. Heading the streaming service will be Bonnie Hammer as chairman-direct-to-consumer and digital enterprises. She was chairman-NBCU cable entertainment and cable studios. NBCUniversal’s Digital Enterprises group, led by Maggie Suniewick, moves into Hammer’s digital group. NBCU's content business will be reorganized under Mark Lazarus, chairman-NBCU broadcast, cable, sports and news, and Jeff Shell, chairman-NBCU film and entertainment. Donna Langley was promoted to chairman-Universal filmed entertainment.
Fox won't bid on any of the regional sports networks Disney might sell as required in the DOJ consent decree (see 1806270016), the 21st Century Fox subsidiary said Friday in a SEC filing. Fox live news and sports assets are being spun off into a separate company as part of Disney's purchase of Fox's entertainment assets (see 1712140038).
Roku invented a method for enabling subscribers to log in using motion-detection fingerprints embedded in the TV’s remote control, said a U.S. patent application (20190012452) published Thursday at the Patent and Trademark Office. In entertainment systems, “a standard user login process using a remote control usually requires the user to type user identification information on a small remote control keyboard or use the remote control to direct an onscreen keyboard to enter the proper login information,” it said. “In either scenario, logging in to the system, particularly when using a remote control, can be a cumbersome process.” Roku’s solution includes at least one processor “coupled” to a “memory,” and “configured” to detect the motion of a remote control and compare that with one or more stored motions that grant access to the account if a match is found, said the application, based on a Sept. 14 filing. It names Ilya Asnis, senior vice president-Roku OS, as the sole inventor. The company didn’t comment Thursday on commercial implications.
Comcast launched a $5.99 monthly digital security service to protect home devices connected to its Xfinity Advanced Gateway. XFi Advanced Security uses artificial intelligence and machine learning technology to monitor and analyze a home’s Wi-Fi traffic and will automatically block identified suspicious activity in real time, said Comcast Wednesday. Customers can monitor activity on the digital dashboard in the Xfinity app. It cited Cisco figures saying by 2022 North American consumers will have an average 13 connected devices and Symantec data saying the number of IoT attacks jumped 600 percent 2016-17.
AT&T unveiled new advertising offerings it said were the result of collaboration between its ad business Xandr and Time Warner's Turner. Those include Turner's data-centric AudienceNow using Xandr's viewership insights, for quicker understanding of ad campaign results, it said Tuesday. AT&T bought TW in 2018.
When Comcast and Viamedia have oral argument Feb. 7 in Viamedia's appeal before the 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, DOJ wants five minutes to address the proper standard for refusal-to-deal claims under the Sherman Act's Section 2, the agency said Friday in a docket 18-2852 unopposed motion (in Pacer). In an amicus brief (in Pacer) filed Nov. 8 in support of neither side, Justice said the 7th Circuit and Supreme Court have been clear that a monopolist's refusal to deal with a competitor violates Section 2 only in limited circumstances. It said the 7th Circuit should make clear a refusal to deal isn't actionable under Section 2 unless that refusal makes no economic sense except as a way to eliminate to lessen competition. Viamedia is appealing a U.S. District Court's rejection of antitrust claims involving Comcast's refusal to deal with the ad rep services competitor over Comcast-owned interconnects (see 1812270041).
Universal Electronics is starting a connected home platform for its customers, which include pay-TV players, so their subscribers can quickly deploy smart-home services. It includes a safety and security platform using Ecolink Zigbee, Zigbee connected thermostat and a voice-controllable solution, and energy management and entertainment control, said the vendor Thursday.
The Zigbee Alliance and Thread Group started Dotdot over Thread smart-home certification, the groups said. Dotdot lets universal device language work over Thread’s low-power IP network, they said Friday.