Vimeo Announces Android TV, Amazon Fire TV, and Xbox One App Support for OTT Partner Channels
Blue Ant Media Relaunches Love Nature SVOD Service Powered by Vimeo OTT Technology in New Multi-Year Deal
Las Vegas, NV(10 Jan 2017)
oday at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2017, Vimeo, home to the world’s most imaginative videos and the leader in over-the-top (OTT) video services, unveiled new white-label partner app support on three new platforms – Android TV, Amazon Fire TV and Xbox One. Vimeo’s OTT product, VHX, is the simplest, most complete turn-key solution for launching OTT streaming video channels. With today’s announcement, partners can immediately leverage these additional platforms to expand their audience reach and revenue potential, launching applications in just a few weeks
As part of a multi-year deal unveiled today, Vimeo will serve as Blue Ant Media’s technology partner, powering multiple direct-to-consumer video on demand (VOD) channels. Blue Ant Media is one of the first customers to leverage the new app platforms, with Vimeo’s VHX product providing the back-end technology and app development for Love Nature, a joint venture between Blue Ant Media and Smithsonian Networks to produce and distribute the world’s largest library of 4K (Ultra-HD) wildlife and nature documentaries and series. Love Nature’s 4K SVOD service is currently available in 33 countries worldwide and recently relaunched with new apps now available for download on Android TV, Amazon Fire TV and Xbox One.
“We’re excited to help our partners reach audiences on next-generation TV and game console, where the potential for discovery and subscriber acquisition is massive,” said Jamie Wilkinson, General Manager of Vimeo’s OTT Services group. “Blue Ant Media understands the importance of multi-platform accessibility and made it a top priority to re-launch Love Nature across these new platforms. Their ambitious goals and commitment to great technology made them an ideal partner for us.”
"Love Nature has subscribers across the globe, watching across many devices. Providing a great customer experience in every context requires not only the best content, but also simple ways to discover it and stunning video playback on any screen,” said Jesse Dallal, VP, Product Development, Blue Ant Media. “Vimeo shares our vision for seamless multi-platform experiences and has the world-class video streaming technology to help us bring Love Nature to more people, places and platforms in the future."
In addition to the three new platforms, the VHX product supports launching apps on web, iOS, Android, Roku and tvOS.
Highlighted benefits for VHX powered sellers include:
- In-App Subscriptions: partners can acquire subscribers to their channel directly in apps (with the exception of Amazon Fire TV and Xbox One).
- 4K Playback: as part of today’s launch, Vimeo now offers 4K playback for Vimeo OTT partner-branded channels on supported devices, including web, Android TV, Amazon Fire TV and Roku – which marks a first for Vimeo.
- Integrated Payments and Analytics: track your customers from discovery to subscription and watching, unified across all platforms.
- World-class video streaming: using Vimeo’s industry-leading transcoding and delivery infrastructure.
Subscribers of partner-branded channels will also benefit from the following new features:
- My List: Subscribers can scroll through and add videos to their personal queue to watch later for better content discovery and engagement.
- Offline Playback: Subscribers can sync videos to watch offline, or connect and watch with WiFi, 3G and 4G.
- Resumable Playback: Subscribers can start a video on one device and resume playback on another, or automatically beam videos from their phones to connect Chromecast or AirPlay enabled devices.
For more information, please visit: https://www.vhx.com.
About Vimeo
Vimeo is home to the world’s most imaginative video creators and the hundreds of millions of viewers who love them. Vimeo empowers over 50 million creators with the tools they need to host, share and sell videos in the highest quality possible. Also a leading online entertainment destination, Vimeo now reaches viewers in over 150 countries who can watch content anytime, on nearly every Internet-connected device. Founded in 2004 and based in New York City, Vimeo, Inc. is an operating business of IAC (NASDAQ: IAC).
About Blue Ant Media
Blue Ant Media is a privately held, international media company that creates and distributes content worldwide across streaming video, linear television, digital, magazines and live events. Global brands include Love Nature, an international linear and SVOD offering with the world’s largest library of 4K wildlife and nature content; and a leading digital video network focused on gaming and maker lifestyles. The company’s broadcasting business offers a robust portfolio of Canadian and New Zealand-based media brands. Content distribution, lead Blue Ant International, offers a catalogue of 2,200+ hours of premium, unscripted content worldwide, which includes the largest 4K natural history library on the market. Blue Ant Media is headquartered in Toronto (Canada), with offices located in Los Angeles (US), London (UK) and Auckland (NZ). blueantmedia.ca