Yahoo Beef Up Connected TV Apps As Smart TVs Go Mainstream

Although Yahoo apps in connected TVs have been around for many years, the company always seem to be at the periphery of the smart tv market. But they revealed today that the system is actually doing pretty well with a number of new apps about to be launched.

Yahoo connected TV

At the CES show, Yahoo revealed that more than a million users make use of the 180 plus apps available on the Yahoo Connected TV every month. The Yahoo system is available on TVs from Samsung, Sony, VIZIO and Toshiba amongst others, and Yahoo clearly see 2012 as the year connected TV takes off.

Ron Jacoby, the vice president of Yahoo! Connected TV said, “It’s clear that people are relying on apps across all of the screens in their lives, and we expect consumer usage of TV apps to rapidly increase as Internet-connected devices become mainstream in 2012.”

New apps were announced that take the viewer into areas of interactive voting, show trivia, shopping, photo and video as well as game show play. They also announced new content partners that include ABC, Disney, ESPN, and Clear Channel.

Yahoo were keen to point out the interactive elements of smart TV systems. Jacoby continued, “Engagement with TV second-screen companion apps and interactive experiences, like broadcast interactivity, will also be on the rise as we move into a new era of content convergence in the living room.”

Examples of interaction were given that included sporting event viewers voting on the winner in-game, purchasing items via remote control and tagging shows using the IntoNow service which Yahoo brought last year.

The IntoNow service uses mobile software on tablets and phones and lets users interact with friends and share viewing, chat, social interaction, sharing content and even reward-based experiences. IntoNow will let users type straight from tablets such as iPad and phones to make text input much better than any TV remote.

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