Today TCL, the maker of popular Roku TVs and Google TVs, announced a deal to bring more free content to these devices. Cineverse has agreed to bring its full lineup of free ad-supported channels to TCL users. Cineverse will also help TCL sell ads on its free streaming service.
“As a top 2 best-selling TV brand in the U.S. for four consecutive years, TCL’s growth has certainly benefitted from the increasing adoption of smart TVs but our continued success is largely due to the company’s innovation, vertical integration and vital partners like Cineverse,” said Mark Zhang, President, TCL North America. “Since we launched in North America, we have been laser focused on becoming one of the most popular electronics brands with our award-winning product lineup. TCL listens to what our users value and it’s clear that consumers desire more options when it comes to entertainment, so we’re excited to expand our programming through this premium multi-channel streaming service.”
Cineverse will offer TCL users access to the Company’s full portfolio of 30 streaming brands and ad-supported channels including content curated from Cineverse, the company’s flagship streaming service.
“As one of the world’s top television brands, we are thrilled to have TCL as our first OEM SaaS partner. As we continue to expand the capabilities of our Matchpoint platform we are excited to provide tremendous efficiencies and provide key backend support to TCL as they look to scale and expand their position in the streaming entertainment ecosystem,” said Cineverse’s Chief Operating Officer & Chief Technology Officer Tony Huidor. “As a strategic partner to TCL, we are committed to providing and jointly developing innovative, best-in-class services for consumers of their industry-leading televisions and mobile phones.”
“With continued innovation and leadership, TCL is bringing new high-performance smart TVs to market with a broader range of dynamic content and featured services to meet consumer needs,” said Haohong Wang, General Manager, TCL Research America. “As we leverage our manufacturing advantages to deliver larger screens for cinematic viewing experiences, TCL’s advanced features like QLED and mini-LED as well as strong relationships with technology and content partners like Cineverse, ensure that we’re delivering world-class products and experiences.”
This news follows Xumo Plays’s Chief Revenue Officer Colin Petrie-Norris announcement that they are partnering with TCL to power its new and newly rebranded free ad-supported streaming service.
Reportedly TCL plans to rebrand and launch a new free streaming service later this year. According to Colin Petrie-Norris, this new service will be a “really big refresh strategy for them.” During the interview, he said they will have more to announce at the StreamTV show in Denver next week.
For now, we will have to wait and see what TCL announces for their new free ad-supported streaming service.