CUPERTINO, CALIF. – 1 Mainstream, a company founded by a team of Apple, Roku and TiVo veterans announced its official launch this week. The company develops rich native applications for OTT and mobile devices such as Apple TV, Google TV, Roku, Xbox, Amazon Kindle and Android platforms.
The company’s first partnership involved a partnership with BSkyB to build the Sky News app for Apple TV and Roku (which launched on both boxes last summer), a service it said was developed “in just weeks.” The company, which builds its apps using highly scalable and cloud-based technologies claims it is the first of its kind to offer a software as a service platform to automate app creation and streaming and manage ad serving and billing for Internet TV devices.
The launch of Sky News on the boxes has meant up to half a million new viewers per month, many tuning in three times or more per week in the U.S. and Canada, as well as expanded reach in the UK and Ireland. In addition to Sky, 1 Mainstream counts more than 20 content companies as partners including several as yet announced tier-1 satellite TV and Web content providers.
“Our work with Sky, Apple TV and Roku demonstrates that innovation is still very much alive and well in TV – instant global distribution to a highly-engaged digital audience is now here,” said Rajeev Raman, CEO, 1 Mainstream. “It also demonstrates that VOD is no longer the only game for IPTV. With the Sky News live service on Apple TV and Roku, we are blurring the lines between traditional and Internet delivery. 1 Mainstream is uniquely qualified to be on the leading edge of this trend and we look forward to bringing more world-class content to audiences everywhere.”
