By 2002, 68% of Interactive Digital Television (iDTV) application developers will be using Microsoft ‘middleware’ platform says Strategy Analytics. This represents a significant rise from the current share of 38% and suggests that Microsoft’s dominance of the software market may not be limited to PCs.
The survey, which involved leading developers working on over 200 iTV projects around the world, found that developers will reduce the share of their resources allocated to OpenTV-based projects, while increasing their focus on those based on the Liberate and MicrosoftTV platforms. According to Strategy Analytics, this reflects the expectation that cable-based operators, where Liberate and MicrosoftTV have a stronghold, will increasingly begin to deploy interactive services.
“Developers want it both ways,” concludes Michael Mascioni, Senior Analyst in Strategy Analytics’ Consumer Practice. “They like the sophistication and TV-centricity of OpenTV, but also want the low costs and ease of use of Liberate and MicrosoftTV.
