TV’s OS Wars: The Battle For Interface Dominance. Part 1

The television, once a simple device for passive entertainment, has evolved into
a complex ecosystem of software, hardware, and content.

At the heart of this transformation is the TV’s interface, the gateway through which viewers access a world of mostly digital content. As streaming becomes the dominant means of viewing, control over this interface has emerged as the next frontier in the TV industry’s ongoing evolution.

This report delves into the global battle for dominance in the TV operating system (OS) space, where home electronics manufacturers, internet behemoths, and independent TV OS makers are vying for supremacy. The stakes are high: control over the TV’s OS means dictating viewer interaction, gatekeeping content, reaping significant ad revenues, and harnessing vast troves of viewer data. From the mature markets of Europe and North America to the burgeoning arenas of the Global South, the OS Wars are reshaping the television landscape.

In this report, which we will release in three segments over the next few months, we’ll examine the strategies of all the key players, the challenges and opportunities they face, and the implications for the future of television consumption worldwide.