According to a survey by Ovum, 72% of pay-TV providers have Android on their technology roadmaps, but it seems that only half of the providers are willing to pay for the privilege.
The survey was conducted on behalf of security firm Irdeto, and found that half of respondents see Android as being important for their goals within the next five years. However, only 54% of them are willing to pay more for Android chipsets than traditional chipsets with embedded middleware.
Android’s ability to download additional apps brings with it concerns around piracy caused by allowing third-party apps onto the set-top box.
Frank Poppelsdorf, director of product management, Irdeto, stated that it is critical to ensure that premium content is protected as the industry continues to shift toward more open platforms for the set-top box. It will be critical for video service providers to implement a robust 360° security approach, but the open nature of the technology brings with it several security concerns, especially in regard to piracy.
