AOL Upgrades and Rebrands Smart TV App, Adds TiVo Support
AOL launched AOL HD, a smart TV app, one year ago on June 20, 2011. Today, it's releasing a 2.0 version of that app, which is now called AOL On to match the name of AOL's recently launched online video hub. The upgraded app is available immediately for three of the seven platforms that offer the first generation app: Samsung and Sony smart TVs and Roku set-top boxes. AOL will also add support for TiVo Premiere players in the coming weeks. AOL previously tested a beta app with TiVo.
"The new interface features news, entertainment, food, and home channels," says Rob DelaCruz, AOL's general manager for connected TV and mobile video. The app provides access to over 380,000 video clips from AOL creators and now includes content from third-party partners, such as Reuters, AP, BBC, and CNET. The app will gain over 100 new clips every day, DelaCruz says. He points to the app's home screen, "a rich canvas of images that resonates on a large screen" as providing a fun and interactive area for viewers to explore.
Additionally, the app will provide access to the HuffPost Live network, which launches August 13, as well as on-demand clips from the network. A separate HuffPost Live app will launch on some smart TV platforms next week, although the AOL On app will continue to stream HuffPost Live video.
Advertising will be a part of the 2.0 app, allowing ad buyers to plan campaigns that reach viewers on a variety of devices. AOL doesn't offer an Apple iOS app, but DelaCruz said that was in the works.
The original AOL smart TV app was downloaded millions of times, says DelaCruz, although he declined to provide specific numbers. He added that users currently stream millions of videos per month with it.
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