Last night, I was invited to attend a private showing of Orange’s upcoming services and applications.
This is the first part summary of the services and capabilities that we can expect from Orange in the next 6-12 months, within France and beyond.
With the ever-increasing importance of multimedia and social web services, Orange is striving to offer its customers services that provide more interactivity and sharing, while simplifying the setup and usage processes. Within the home environment, it is positioning the TV as a key rallying point for “more shared entertainment.”
The following products and services demonstrate how it is trying to fulfill this vision:
Orange Decoder
This TV decoder box allows users to easily access and share a range of multimedia services and content within and outside of the home, with minimal setup headaches, such as lengthy configuration and cabling. It includes:
- Multimedia services access –
Users can access a range of personalized, practical services via the TV. Services include weather, traffic, music clips, music downloading etc., and can be selected using a large-graphical scrolling menu and personalized using a ‘widget’ catalogue. - Home multimedia library – Users can consolidate all their existing media (ex. photos, music, videos) from different PCs and networked devices in the home – wired or wireless – , into this centralized library. The content can then be viewed on the TV or accessed from anywhere using a PC or mobile Internet browser.
- Personal video recorder – Users will be able to record TV shows and watch them at their leisure, using a hefty 160GB hard drive. The media hard drive is removable, meaning that as their needs expand, so can the storage.
The Orange Decoder will be provided free of charge to existing Orange Livebox TV customers (though a security deposit will be required), starting in Dec 2009.
Orange Box
This next generation set-top box offers Livebox TV users a new experience in interactive, multimedia services. A collaborative effort between Orange, Intel and Samsung, it brings a range of new entertainment possibilities, including:
- TV Internet browsing – Users can browse the Web from the comfort of their large-screen TV, using Wii-like remote control / pointer and a wireless keyboard.
- On-demand HD Movies – Via Orange’s media online store, users can view the latest HD movies, while bringing up related information on actors, the film, etc. via the Web.
- 3D Video games on demand – On-demand access to a range of games, including titles with 3D graphics
- BluRay & DVD player – An integrated DVD & BlueRay player to benefit from the latest, high definition movie releases.
- Wireless connectivity - Using Bluetooth, users can easily add other peripheral devices like game controllers and wireless headsets, to further enhance their enjoyment, easily.
The Orange Box is targeted for release during the second half of 2010.
Orange TV
With the latest generation of Orange Mobile TV offer, users will be able to access unlimited HD TV on their mobile device, when they are on-the-go (via the 3G+ network), or in any Wifi hotspot.
Orange TV will be available as an add-on service (compatible with the iPhone, some Blackberry and Android devices), sometime in the first part of 2010.
Video Party
An online TV and entertainment portal offering a range of free and subscriber-only TV, Music and video content, selected by Orange.
Unlike services like You Tube, Video Party, which is now online, offers professional-made content.
By offering its customers a richer, more interactive and personalized, shared media and entertainment experience, easily, Orange is trying to become more relevant in people’s everyday lives. In come cases, it hope to generate additional ARPU by providing new, simpler ways for satisfying customer needs, while in others it is offering existing clients additional value, at no additional cost.
In all cases it is trying cater to wider range of its customer entertainment needs, while increasing satisfaction and stickiness.
Part 2 of the Orange ‘La Collection’ 2010 will deal with richer communications.
