More Indian Cable TV operators could be launching an Android Set-Top Box (STB) or an Android TV dongle in 2020, according to the data available on Android TV Guide. With most DTH operators offering an Android TV STB, the Indian Cable TV operators could offer their own Android STB or an Android TV dongle to counter their DTH peers. The Android STB provides a one stop solution as it enables the viewers to watch over-the-top (OTT) content and TV channels on one screen. The data from Android TV Guide reveals that as many as five Cable TV operators could be set for launching an Android STB or an Android TV dongle in 2020.
7 Star Digital’s Android TV STB
The Mumbai based operator currently offering Cable TV and internet services could soon be offering an Android TV STB. The upcoming device is said to be manufactured by Changhong with the STB powered by HiSilicon Hi3798M V200 chipset clocked at 1.2GHz, 2GB RAM and 8GB of storage. The device is said to have made a visit to the Geekbench where it earned a Single-Core score of 562 and Multi-Core score of 1562. The device is also tipped to run ARM Mali-450 GPU and Android 8. The STB has also received a Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) certification which indicates that the device could launch in the upcoming months.
Den Networks
With its presence in 13 million households across 13 states and 433 cities, Den Networks are one of the key cable players in India. The company has been teasing about its Android STB from 2018 and it could eventually happen in 2020. Den Network’s upcoming Android STB is manufactured by Gospell and is powered by HiSilicon Hi3798M V200 clocked at 1.2 GHz. The device packs in ARM Mali-450 GPU along with 2GB of RAM and 8GB of storage.
It however has to be noted that Reliance Industries in February announced the consolidation of its business with Den Networks grouped with Hathway to become a subsidiary of Network 18. It remains to be seen whether Den Networks would launch the Android STB or if the consolidation changes the company’s plans.
Kerala Vision
Kerala Communicators Cable, a Cable Operators Association (COA) project that houses 4000 cable operators in Kerala operates the Kerala Vision digital services including cable and broadband. Initially, Kerala Vision was said to launch an Android Box in 2019 with few viewers reportedly receiving it, however, a broader launch is said to happen in the upcoming months. Manufactured by Coship, the STB is powered by Amlogic S905X clocked at 1.8GHz. The STB features an ARM Mali-450 MP3 GPU, 1 GB of RAM and 8 GB of storage and the STB has received BIS certification.
Asianet and Hathway
According to Android TV Guide, Asiannet could launch an Android TV dongle in the upcoming months, though the details of the device are pretty limited. While Asianet does offer an digital hybrid STB, the dongle could be for those users who prefer to watch OTT content through an additional device.
Another player who could potentially launch an Android STB is GTPL Hathway. One of the largest operators in Gujarat with a 67 percent market share could potentially launch an Android hybrid box in the upcoming months. The device is tipped to be powered by an Amlogic S805X chipset clocked at 1.2 GHz and was seen to be testing in late 2019.
