While they fiercely compete in areas ranging from smart TVs to smart displays, Amazon and Google are simultaneously software partners, with the former licensing a “forked” version of the latter’s Android Open Source Project to create the Fire OS that underpins many of its gadgets. 

But Amazon is reportedly moving away from Android and has been quietly developing its own Linux-based operating system, code-named “Vega,” to replace Fire as the software foundation for everything from smart TVs to streaming sticks to Echo Smart Displays.

Citing job listings, social media posts and various inside sources, Janko Roettgers, publisher of the Lowpass newsletter, reports that Amazon is mostly done on the core work for its Vega development project, which started back in 2019.

Amazon plans to eventually make a complete shift from Android across all its new devices, including not just Fire TVs and smart displays, but things like in-car entertainment as well. 

Amazon executives haven’t formally talked about Vega yet. 

As Roettgers previously reported, business tensions have emerged over the years from Amazon using an open version of Android. Notably, Google prohibited its smart TV OEM partners from also manufacturing products based on forked versions of Android. Amazon had to carve out special agreements for Android TV makers like TCL to also manufacture and sell TVs based on Fire TV.

But Amazon’s decision isn’t based so much on “competitive pressures” as it is on the search for a more elegant software solution, Roettgers said.

Relying on open-source Android means Amazon is regularly behind Google's latest development cycle, sometimes by a factor of years. For example, current-generation Fire TVs run on Fire OS 7, which is based on Android 9. Google just released Android 14 over the fall. 

And as Roku likes to point out with its oft-used ”purpose-builtπ marketing rhetoric, Android is an OS rooted in powering smartphones. So a lot of its code is dead weight when it comes to operating things like smart TVs and smart home devices. 

Google continues to prioritize its Google TV app, making it the new destination for Google device users to rent and buy TV shows and movies.

Starting in May, the Google Play store, which resides in the Android operating system, will no longer feature a "Movies & TV" tab. Instead, to rent and buy video, users of devices like Android phones and tablets, as well as smart TV's powered by Google TV, will now rent and purchase video titles through the "library" tab of the Google TV app. 

Google introduced Google TV in October 2020 as a kind of next-generation iteration of Android TV. In addition to powering its new Chromecast OTT dongle with the software, it made Google TV a pre-installed app on Android mobile devices to watch movies and shows, replacing the "Play Movies & TV" feature within Android. 

The move marks the further diminishment of Google Play, which was already shrunk big-time in December 2020, when Google stopped selling songs and full-length albums and ported its music biz to subscription service Google Music. With the exit of movies and TV shows, Google Play is now a store for apps and books. 

It should be noted that elements like Google Play and Google Play Movies & TV haven't disappeared from the face of Earth. For example, if you rent or buy a movie title on an Apple iOS device through the Google app, you'll still need to watch it via the Google Play Movies & TV app for iOS. 

Unclear to us: A number of third-party device makers, including smart TV manufacturers, still use Android TV. We're not yet sure how the change will affect users of Google's legacy CTV OS platform. 

Google said in January that Google TV and Android TV are now used in 110 million devices worldwide. 

Amazon's free ad-supported streaming service, IMDb TV, is coming to mobile devices, with the announcement of app support for iOS and Android tablets and smart phones. 

The IMDb TV app is supported by most connected TV platforms, save for Samsung smart TVs. 

Amazon has initiated an aggressive original programming strategy for IMDb TV, which includes a spinoff of its popular Amazon Prime Video originals series, Bosch, as well as a new reality court show built around Judge Judy star Judy Sheindlin. 

NBCUniversal has announced a deal with Google which will enable app support for its new streaming service, Peacock, on Android mobile devices, as well as Android TV and Chromecast OTT dongles, boxes and smart TVs.

The deal will also make Peacock playable on Chromebook computers when it launches nationally July 15. Notably, Android mobile and Android TV users will have free access to the Peacock Premium subscription iteration of the service through October 15. 

“Given Google’s extensive customer reach, millions of people will be able to start streaming Peacock on their preferred platform or device this July,” said Maggie McLean Suniewick, president of business development and partnerships for Peacock, in a statement. “We’ve made Peacock free to our distribution partners, including Google, because we want people everywhere to stream Peacock, and the Peacock Premium promotion demonstrates our commitment to providing incredible value for our mutual customers.”

Also read: Peacock on the Deal Clock

Comcast’s NBCU division launched Peacock Premium free to Comcast pay TV subscribers in April, embedding the app natively into Xfinity X1 and Flex video systems. 

On July 15, Peacock will expand beyond the Comcast cable ecosystem as a nationally available OTT service, available as an expanded $4.99-a-month premium iteration, or as a free ad-supported product with more limited scope (basically, 7,500 movies and shows vs. 15,000 for the premium version).

Also read: Comcast’s Peacock Streaming Service Created From Traditional TV’s Winning Recipe

Peacock had previously announced a deal with Apple that will deliver app support on launch day for iOS mobile devices, as well as Apple TV. 

Peacock has also locked in agreement with Microsoft for support on Xbox One gaming consoles

Sticking out like a sore thumb with the national launch just over three weeks away: Deals with Roku and Amazon to support the Peacock app on the Nos. 1 and 2 OTT device ecosystems in the U.S. Notably, the May 27 launch of rival OTT service HBO Max has been marred by AT&T’s ability to lock in app support for Roku and Amazon Fire TV. 

“As millions of our viewers have already seen the massive benefit of having Peacock available to them these past few months, we look forward to leveraging the unprecedented reach of Google’s platforms and devices, to provide Peacock to even more fans on July 15,” said Matt Bond, chairman of content distribution for NBCUniversal, also in a statement. “Google continues to be a terrific partner as we aim to deliver NBCUniversal’s world class content across all of their platforms and devices.” 

WarnerMedia said it made a deal with Google to make HBO Max available on Google and Android devices when the new streaming service launches on May 27.

HBO Max made a similar deal with Apple earlier this week.

The Google deal covers Android phones and tablets, Android TV devices and Chromebooks. HBO Max subscribers will also be able to stream via Chromecast devices.

Current HBO Now subscribers on Google Play will be able to access the HBO Max app at no additional charge. New HBO Max customers will be able to subscribe directly in the app.

“The availability of HBO Max across Android, Android TV, Chromebook and Google Chromecast devices and on Google Play adds to our growing list of distribution options that will be offered to customers at launch,” said Rich Warren, president of WarnerMedia Distribution. “We’re pleased to make HBO Max available to the significant base of customers who access content across Google’s platforms and devices.”

ActiveVideo Networks, the technology company behind Charter’s Spectrum Guide cloud-based video delivery system, is expanding its act for pay TV operators who want to enable their customers to use Android-based OTT apps.

The San Jose, California-based tech company, jointly purchased in 2015 by Charter and Arris for $135 million, has announced the launch of AppCloud, a new cloud based video delivery system that allows users to tap into OTT apps based on Android APK, no matter how much in the way of computing resources their set-top has.

In Europe and, increasingly in the U.S., pay TV operators have been sating the subscribers’ desire for OTT apps by deploying thin-client, Android TV-based hybrid QAM/IP set-tops, which allow operators to deliver managed network services while simultaneously allowing the customer to tap into any OTT app found in the Google Play store.

Debuting at the IBC Show in Amsterdam this week, ActiveVideo’s AppCloud takes the concept one step further — now, the operator doesn't even have to replace the legacy set-tops.

ActiveVideo’s technology is based on having all app processing done in the cloud — what appears on the user’s TV is actually MPEG video virtualization fo the user interface generated in the cloud … and not the actual user interface.

“There are thousands of Android-based TV apps available today, and with ActiveVideo AppCloud, we bring an immediate breadth of TV apps to the operator,” said Jeff Miller, ActiveVideo CEO, in a statement. “Service providers can...maintain direct relationships with their subscribers, expand the services they offer, and drive new digital advertising approaches with the ActiveVideo AppCloud framework.

Notably, Charter has been in the market with Spectrum Guide since 2014. The cable operator put out a press release Thursday reminding everyone that ActiveVideo’s technology is already available in “millions” of its subscribers' homes. (In its IBC press release, ActiveVideo noted that it is already “delivering virtualized content in 18 million set-top devices.)

“Spectrum Guide has been deployed to millions of set-top boxes across our footprint providing a reliable, modern navigation experience, and virtualization has been key to that success,” said Jake Perlman, senior VP of software development at Charter. “Working with ActiveVideo allowed us to realize the promises of virtualization, deploy a world-class, next-generation TV service at scale and have a flexible platform that supports new features and services.”

Xfinity Mobile is opening up its BYOD availability, at least just a little.

Previously confined to recent Apple iPhone models, Comcast’s MVNO-based mobile service will now be open to unlocked Samsung Galaxy models S9, S9 Plus, S8, S8 Plus, Note 9 and Note 8.

There are some caveats. Many phones sold through T-Mobile and AT&T won’t work on the service, which is based on a mobile virtual network operator agreement with Verizon. Comcast did say that owners of ineligible Android phones who trade them in, and port over their existing phone number, before Aug. 4 will receive a $100 gift card.

Related: Xfinity Mobile Offering iPads and Apple Watches

Comcast said it will add BYOD capability to additional Android handsets later this year. 

Skinny bundled virtual pay TV service Philo announced the debut today of apps for Android mobile devices, as well as Amazon Fire Tablets.

The San Francisco-based start-up offers a selection of 58 live-streamed entertainment-focused cable channels, including AMC, A&E, BET, Comedy Central, Discovery, HGTV, MTV, Nickelodeon and Food Network, for $20 a month.

It was already available on the open internet via popular browsers like Chrome, Safari, Edge and Firefox, as well as through OTT devices including Roku, Apple TV and Amazon Fire TV.

Philo is privately funded to the tune of $83.2 million, with its content suppliers—Viacom, Discovery and Scripps among them—being the backers.

The virtual MVPD has not disclosed how many subscribers it has at this point. 

Virtual MVPD Philo TV has launched on Amazon Fire TV and Apple TV, adding to a growing list of platforms on which the entertainment-focused service is available.

Separately, Philo added that it has raised $40 million in another round of funding.

Philo, which debuted in November offering about 40 channels of programing for $16 per month, had earlier been available via Roku, desktop and web browsers, iPhones and Android devices via Chrome, and via 35 separate TV Everywhere apps. 

Related: Philo Unleashes Entertainment-Focused OTT TV Service 

“Our goal is to build a television service that people love,” Philo TV CEO Andrew McCollum said in a statement. “The expansion onto Amazon Fire TV and Apple TV is a natural extension for us and allows many new people to discover and enjoy Philo, as well as expanding the viewing options for our existing subscribers. We’re thrilled with the response we’ve seen to Philo so far, but we’re always looking for ways to make it even better, and this is another big step forward in that direction.”

Related: Philo Opens Access to TV Everywhere Sites, Apps 

The latest round of funding – led by existing investors AMC Networks, Discovery and Viacom – will allow the company to put additional funds into product features and enhancements and expand its marketing efforts. The company is also developing additional innovations, including a social media-driven TV experience.

Watch MCN: vMVPDs by the Numbers

Netflix Stock Reaches New All-Time High

TWIN: Netflix shares were up nearly 4% on Friday (March 2), closing at $301.05 per share, a new all-time high for the stock, beating the old mark of $297.36 as the company continued to ride a wave of investor optimism over the SVOD space. With Friday’s close, Netflix’s market cap reached $130 billion, putting the company within spitting distance of other major media companies like Comcast-NBCUniversal ($169 billion) and The Walt Disney Co. ($155 billion).

A few years ago I read an article that asked if @netflix had "the worst board in history". Seems like the answer is no, they do not. #startups#businesstipshttps://t.co/l1RgiQl6om

— Dan Schepleng (@DanSchepleng) March 2, 2018

MCN Take: Netflix shares are up more than 50% since the beginning of the year. And the rise comes just days after Comcast lobbed an unsolicited bid at U.K. satellite giant Sky, a move some see as insurance against growing virtual MVPD and SVOD competitors.

Read the full story at Variety

Netflix Forcing Media Competitors to Think Globally

TWIN: Former DirecTV chief Mike White told CNBC that he believes U.S. media companies need to watch what Netflix is doing internationally closely. He warned that if the company gets to 200 million international customers – it’s at about 67.7 million now – it will be able to write much bigger checks to content creators.

MCN Take: Netflix already plans to spend about $8 billion on content this year and at an industry conference, CFO David Wells said it will have around 700 original TV shows, movies and specials this year. About 80 of those programs will be internationally focused.

Read the full story at CNBC

Netflix is testing a navigation bar on Android

TWIN: According to Engadget, Netflix is beta testing a new navigation bar for Android phones, replacing the slide-out menu with something more elegant and accessible.

Netflix moves to a bottom nav bar on Android (& iOS).

Why? Obvious always wins: https://t.co/coJ7Ge55Itpic.twitter.com/iEtnPEeETE

— Luke Wroblewski (@lukew) February 26, 2018

MCN Take: The new navigation bar will make it easier for users to access their offline downloads and see what content is coming soon.

Read the full story at Engadget

Hastings: Netflix’s Next 100M Subs Will Come From India

TWIN: While it has more than 117 million subscribers worldwide, Netflix founder chairman and CEO Reed Hastings told an audience at the Economic Times Global Business Summit in New Delhi that its next 100 million customers will come from India. That would be a big boost, given that Netflix has about 500,000 customers currently in the sub-continent.

MCN Take: Hastings said India has all the components for streaming video growth, a strong, affordable high-speed internet infrastructure and a consumer base that is passionate for film and other video content.

Read the full story at the Hollywood Reporter

Black Panther Coming to Netflix This Fall

TWIN: Crossing the $700 million worldwide box office milestone in just its second week in theaters, Black Panther is expected to come to Netflix in September or October, but it will be the last Marvel movie for the streaming service as part of its expired deal with Disney. Black Panther debuted in theaters on Feb. 16 and Disney’s Netflix deal – which the company declined to renew in August and will take effect in 2019 – usually calls for movies to hit the streaming service about seven or eight months after theatrical release.

MCN Take: The blockbuster won’t make its debut on Disney’s planned streaming entertainment service, which will launch in 2019. But the streaming product is expected to be chock full of Star Wars films – including the original Episode Three, which comes as part of its 21st Century Fox deal and a new Star Wars series from Game of Thrones screenwriters David Benioff and D.B. Weiss.

Read the full story at The Independent

Google on Thursday announced a $1.1 billion agreement under which certain HTC employees, including many working with Google on its Android-powered Pixel smartphones, will join Google.

Tied in, Google is also getting a non-exclusive license for HTC intellectual property. They expect to close the agreement by early 2018.

A deal between HTC and Google has been rumored for weeks, but earlier speculation held that Google would buy a bigger part of HTC, including a virtual reality business that’s led off by the Vive headset/platform.

RELATED: HTC Might Sell Its VR Business: Report

HTC said it is working on a new flagship phone that would follow the launch of the HTC U11 earlier this year, and that it would continue to invest in and grow its Vive business while also pursuing strategies around the IoT, augmented reality and artificial intelligence.

For Google, the deal gives it more control over the future of Pixel, a smartphone brand/product that was introduced last October. Google is expected to announce the latest in that line next month. Google is set to announce two new smartphone models, the Pixel 2 and Pixel 2 XL, along with a miniaturized smart home device, The Guardian reported.

While the deal makes Taiwan a “key innovation and technology hub” for Google, it’s also less ambitious than Google’s $12.5 billion play for Motorola Mobility that also includes key intellectual property and later led to Google’s sale of Motorola Home to Arris for $2.35 billion.  

“HTC has been a longtime partner of Google and has created some of the most beautiful, premium devices on the market,” said Rick Osterloh, Senior Vice President of Hardware at Google.

“We're excited and can't wait to welcome members of the HTC team who will be joining Google to fuel further innovation and future product development in consumer hardware,” Rick Osterloh, SVP of hardware at Google, said in a statement.

Plex is adding more platforms to the mix about two months after the company introduced a free live TV component that’s available to consumers who subscribe to its Plex Pass service.

RELATED: Plex Flexes Live TV Muscles

Plex said Live TV is now supported on Apple TV (requires version 1.4) and is adding Live TV and DVR support to Android mobile devices, joining iOS, and Android TV. Its own Plex web app is currently DVR-only. Plex also said its new platform has exited the beta phase and also enables trick-play functions (pause/play, rewind, and fast forward).

Plex’s new Live TV element links the Plex app to a video source such as a digital OTA TV antenna or a digital tuner.

The company said it’s also working on app updates for other platforms, including Roku, Amazon’s Fire TV and a range of smart TVs.

Plex’s offering is largely targeted to cord-cutters, and competes in that arena with companies and products such as Nuvvyo (the Tablo and the just-launched Tablo Dual), Dish Network (AirTV Player), TiVo (Roamio OTA), and ChannelMaster (DVR+), among others.

PlayStation Vue, Sony’s OTT-TV service, has followed through with plans to launch an app for Android smartphones and tablets.

Sony, which announced earlier this month that an Android-powered mobile offering was in development and nearing launch, booted up the app Wednesday (June 29) on Google Play. It requires Android 4.4 or higher. 

The addition expands PS Vue’s array of supported devices. PS Vue also offers a mobile app for iOS devices, and has extended its service on Roku players and Roku TVs, PlayStation 3 and PS4 consoles, Amazon Fire TV boxes and the Fire TV Stick, and is optimized for the Google Chromecast.

Sony has not announced PS Vue subscriber figures, but Bloomberg reported yesterday that the service now has more than 100,000 of them, with a rise in the rate driven in part by Sony's recent launch of a set of “Slim” pay TV packages that give PlayStation Vue a national reach.

Showtime said its stand-alone streaming service is now available via Amazon Fire TV box, Fire TV stick, Android smartphones and tablets, the Chromecast adapter (and other Cast-enabled devices), and Android TV, Google’s new OS for connected TVs and streaming players.

Showtime launched its standalone $10.99 per month standalone service  in July on iOS devices, the Apple TV, Roku (streaming player and integrated Roku TVs), and via Sony PlayStation Vue. Hulu, meanwhile, is selling Showtime in a bundle.

Showtime continues to offer a 30-day free trial to its new OTT offering, which includes the network’s east and west coast live feeds as well as on-demand access to movies and originals.

RCN’s TV Everywhere platform has expanded to the Android platform with the debut of a new RCN2Go app that is powered by a TiVo-based interface and search platform.

RCN said the authenticated app, also offered on Web browsers and iOS devices, provides access to programming from more than 40 networks, including live and VOD fare from ABC, A&E, CNN, Disney, ESPN, NBC, USA Network and TNT. Users can also tap the app to set DVR recordings, browse for shows and movies up to 14 days out, and, in the home, use the mobile device as a second TV screen or remote control.

“As consumer viewing evolves beyond traditional TV, RCN will continue to innovate to offer the flexibility our customers want and need,” said Chris Fenger, COO of RCN, in a statement. “RCN2GO empowers our customers to watch their favorite programming whenever and wherever they want – on any screen.” 

Fan TV, the video search and recommendation system that spans sources such as Hulu, Crackle, Netflix and live TV, has launched an app for Android devices, complementing its original launch on iOS.

The app also adds titles to a user’s WatchList if not available currently available through one of the supported OTT or TV platforms.

Fan TV (a.k.a. Fanhatttan), acquired by Rovi last year for $12 million,  said it will also offer its platform on Android TV devices such as the Nexus Player “in the near future.”

Time Warner Cable, meanwhile, continues to offer live and on-demand services on the Fan TV platform via the TWC TV app. TWC subs can still buy the Fan TV box and remote control for $149. 

Following its debut on the iPad, Motive Television said it has launched a TabletTV app for the Android platform, starting with Samsung devices with 10- and 7-inch screens, for use in the U.S. and the U.K.

The TabletTV  app operates in conjunction with a $89.95 “T-Pod” device (pictured) that performs the function of an antenna tuner, able to capture free, over-the-air TV signals for display on tablets. The T-Pod also allows users to record programming via an integrated DVR.

TabletTV is supporting over-the-air TV in the U.K. with Freeview. TabletTV, a joint venture of Motive Television and Granite Broadcasting, has also been testing its service in the Bay Area with Granite-owned station KOFY-TV as it works toward a more aggressive commercial launch (subscription required). Depending on signal availability, TabletTV estimates that its U.S. customers can get access to as many as 50 digital TV stations, including local ABC, CBS, Fox and PBS affiliates.

“The addition of Android devices to the TabletTV family is a major step forward due to the growing popularity of Android devices,” Motive CEO Leonard Fertig said, in a statement. “The global potential market for TabletTV numbers is in the hundreds of millions - by the end of 2013 it is estimated that 6% of the global population used a tablet and 22% a smartphone.”

TabletTV has also announced plans to extend support to the Google Chromecast adapter.

TabletTV is also developing a video-on-demand service that will deliver content via an unused portion of the broadcast spectrum using Motive’s datacasting technology. It’s also working on a version of the product that will support broadband connectivity for over-the-top video from sources such as Netflix.

One World Sports is bowing its app for mobile devices.

A hybrid, Watch One World Sports, is available at no charge in the Apple and Google Play stores.

Watch One World Sports delivers live-streamed games, matches and other programming to authenticated subscribers of the global sports network's distribution affiliates, including Verizon FiOS, Dish, Charter, Cablevision, Mediacom, Google Fiber, RCN and a growing number of systems through its master agreement with the National Cable Television Cooperative. The network, presenting soccer from around the globe, including the New York Cosmos, Japanese basesball, hockey, basketball and cricket, is available to some 30 million homes across the nation. 

Additionally, the app provides content to all users, regardless of whether they are subscribers, enabling them to follow the network’s sports via video highlights, updated specifically for the app throughout the day, and on-demand content from an extensive library drawing from the network’s broad portfolio of global sports. The app also offers RSS feeds of news, standings and league tables; Twitter feeds; and a program guide.  Other features include Twitter and Facebook sharing tools and navigation by sport.

“There are two undeniably growing trends among younger sports fans,” said Alexander “Sandy” Brown, One World Sports president and CEO.  “One is that they consume sports on mobile devices; the other is that they have an increasingly global viewpoint.  Watch One World Sports hits the sweet spot for any sports fan.”

ESPN has launched a new version of its sports info app that’s been optimized for iOS smartphones and iPads and Android handsets, with plans underway to extend that work to Android-powered tablets as well.

The new, customizable ESPN App, not to be confused with the WatchESPN authenticated TV Everywhere app, features up-to-the-minute scores, news and video highlights. Among other new features, it lets users share content on Facebook, Twitter, via email and SMS, and offers a “NOW” view that blends ESPN updates on any sport or team with the latest available photos, videos and social media content.  Via its On-Air tab, the app also integrates free access to the live ESPN  Radio stream.

The overhaul, versoin 4.2 of the app, also drops SportsCenter branding, which had earlier been tapped to replace the app’s original ScoreCenter branding. 

In a post about the changes and the new app, Ryan Spoon, ESPN’s SVP, digital product placement, noted that the sports programmer is in the process of creating a consistent look and feel across the ESPN Website and ESPN  app. 

“With today’s release, we begin the process of unifying those experiences through a single brand, a common aesthetic and consistent interface,” he noted. “As we redesign ESPN.com and build all of these products globally, we are excited to have ESPN be the consistent brand across a unified suite of products.

And the new approach will probably play better on the international stage. "SportsCenter means a lot here. It doesn't mean as much when you get out of the United States," John Kosner, ESPN's executive vice president of digital, told The Verge. 

Spoon added that the new iPad release is actually an extension of the iPhone app, enabling what amounts to a universal app that runs across iOS devices.

“And we of course have several enhancements and new features coming in the subsequent weeks, including a version for Android tablets,” Spoon said, noting that the app will share aspects of the new version of ESPN.com, coming in April. 

Icontrol Networks, the home automation and security platform company that’s working with several major MSOs, said it has integrated its OpenHome platform with the Nest Learning Thermostat, the smart home product that is now part of the Google empire.

Icontrol said the tie-up with Nest is currently offered through the Icontrol-powered PEQ home automation system, a retail product that was launched earlier this year by SmartHome Ventures, a startup led by former Charter Communications exec Ted Schremp.

Icontrol said PEQ customers will be able to access and control their Nest Learning Thermostat via the same interface that can monitor and control door locks, lighting controls and video cameras that run on OpenHome, which uses a customized version of the Android operating system. Google, the company behind Android, bought Nest early this year in a $3.2 billion cash deal.

Icontrol, which claims to be currently managing more than 26 million sensors and devices, said it couldn’t comment on any plans in the works to extend its Nest integration to the Icontrol platform that has been rolled out by several cable operators, including Comcast, Bright House Networks, Tim Warner Cable and Cox Communications, among others.

But Icontrol said in a statement that it “recognizes that interoperability is key to successful mass market adoption of the smart home.”

RCN has rolled out an upgraded version of its TiVo-powered user interface, introducing a speedier version of the UI alongside other new features and capabilities, including in-home streaming to Android devices.

The refreshed UI, available to all RCN TiVo customers, includes a My Shows page and a Three Column My Shows element that lets users filter programs based on specific categories rather than requiring viewers to dive further into each folder to see what’s on.

With the Android enhancement, users can stream live and recorded content in the home to a wider range of smartphones and tablets. The new release also opens up access to new apps, including Spotify, Huffington Post, and TiVo’s recent integration of the HSN Shop-By-Remote service. 

RCN, whose primary service areas include Boston, Chicago, Lehigh Valley (Pa.), New York City, Philadelphia and Washington, D.C., said the new look and feel and features are available on its range of TiVo models, which include the TiVo Premiere Q, Premiere, Preview and TiVo Mini.

“The past year has been one of great change and improvement at RCN, as we have delivered a variety of new offerings to enhance the customer experience. Each of these offerings is a building block, and the new TiVo user interface represents the latest improvement for our customers,” said RCN COO Chris Fenger, in a statement.

TiVo flipped on Android streaming in September, complementing capabilities it offers on iOS devices. Atlantic Broadband, which is using the T6, an MSO-optimized version of the retail-focused Roamio Plus DVR, was among the first  TiVo MSO partners to take advantage of those enhanced features for Android.

FreedomPop, a startup that sells “free” mobile voice and data services to cost-conscious consumers and claims to have held discussions with U.S. cable operators, has booted up its own brand of Android-powered products that carry sub-$100 price points.

In a move that complements the company's distribution of refurbished Sprint devices and aims to fill the gap on low-cost Android mobile gear, the initial FreedomPop-branded product to ship is the Liberty (pictured), a 7-inch, 4-Gigabyte, Android-based WiFi-only phablet that sells for $89. The company notes that the Liberty is larger and less expensive than Apple’s first phablet product, the iPhone 6 Plus, which sports a 5.5-inch screen, and the Samsung Galaxy Note and its 5.7-inch screen. FreedomPop made the Liberty WiFi only to keep costs down, but said customers can tap into cellular by pairing it with $49 FreedomPop hotspot that supports 500 megabytes of free data per month.

FreedomPop will follow next month with the Frenzy, a $99 phablet that’s the same size as the Liberty, but adds LTE capabilities.

In the coming months, FreedomPop, which rides Sprint’s wireless network, will also introduce an $89 LTE Android phone, expanding on a higher-end lineup that already includes the Samsung Galaxy Note 2 and Note 3.

FreedomPop said all devices come with its free text and voice service – up to 200 voice minutes and 500 texts per month before tiered pricing plans apply.

In another cost-cutting move, all of these new FreedomPop-branded devices will not support a 3G fallback. But LTE availability is “now good enough that you’ll get ubiquitous coverage in most major markets,” said Stephen Stokols, FreedomPop’s CEO, noting that the company adds software that auto-connects users to WiFi when they are in the presence of a hotspot.

“The idea is to be ahead of the curve on LTE-only [products],” he said, estimating that FreedomPop has an 18-month lead on other carriers that are considering LTE-only offerings.

FreedomPop, founded in 2011, doesn’t disclose specific customer figures, but “it’s in the several hundreds of thousands, and growing pretty fast,” Stokols said. FreedomPop is on a trajectory to break the 1 million customer market sometime in 2015, he added.

Stokols told FierceWireless last month that FreedomPop has conducted M&A talks with a publicly traded telecom company that isn’t among the Tier 1 U.S. wireless carriers (Verizon Wireless, AT&T, Sprint and T-Mobile US), but that the company’s preference is to build toward an IPO.

Cable Talks

U.S. cable operators don’t have access to their own cellular networks, but many have been aggressively deploying metro WiFi networks, possibly setting the stage for so-called “WiFi-first” wireless voice services that use cellular as a fallback.

Stokols said FreedomPop has held some discussions with cable operators, but notes that MSOs are interested in pursuing strategies that are disruptive and can scale up rapidly. But many MSOs are concerned that moving into wireless too aggressively will be a drag on their ARPUs, he said.

“There’s board-level sensitivity around that,” Stokols said. “But 12 months from now, I’d be shocked if a cable operator doesn’t do a WiFi First service.”