ACCESS has announced the release of the NetFront Browser BE Software Development Kit v2.4 for Linux and Android platforms. The standards-based, HTML5 compliant browser provides a standards-based solution for operators looking to deploy a single service across multiple platforms in order to offer the best consumer user experience. NetFront Browser BE v2.4 is part of the NetFront Browser family, deployed in over 1.5 billion devices.

“Driven by the rise of multiscreen-friendly Over-the-Top services, all operators know that they need to provide a consistent user experiences across a myriad of devices in record time frames, and without a prohibitive price tag. Being able to shrink development time and maintenance costs without compromising on the subscriber’s experience is crucial, and HTML5 is the only way to achieve it,” said Dr Neale Foster, Managing Director and COO at ACCESS Europe. “Beyond the built-in support for HTML5 at the heart of our NetFront Browser family, the latest release of NetFront Browser BE adds third party media player support to its existing features, which provides much tighter integration with today’s platforms. In short, we are enabling operators to use their current platform investments more effectively, with agile solutions that answer the market’s current and future needs.”

Targeted at System on Chip (SoC) vendors, connected device manufacturers, automotive platform suppliers and OEMs, NetFront Browser BE provides an easier and more effective way to utilize a standards-based HTML5 solution to provide the best consumer user experience.

Based on a Chromium Blink core, with an active roadmap to continuously support the latest stable releases, NetFront Browser BE is provided in a pre-packaged Software Development Kit (SDK) for embedded devices. Key features include:

Improved integration:

• Integration-ready SDK including Chromium Embedded Framework 3 for quicker time to market, less complexity and a standardized API
• Android browser SDK providing device manufacturers with a higher degree of control of the content rendering, enabling features such as HTML5 application stores on AOSP based platforms
• External Media Player API to enable SoC vendors, device manufacturers and middleware providers to take advantage of their own media player implementation, utilizing hardware acceleration to reduce CPU load and power consumption
• External Decoder Framework enabling easy integration of hardware-based video decoding for YouTube and other OTT platforms utilizing EME
• SDKs delivered to ACCESS’ development partners and customers for a wide range of System on Chips (SoCs), including Broadcom, MStar, Intel, Renesas, Amlogic and Socionext
• Active roadmap to continuously support updates from upcoming Chromium releases

Support for industry standards:

• HbbTV 2.0.1, including companion screen and DIAL
• ARIB STD-B62/TR-B39 (2nd generation digital broadcasting) for 4K and 8K
• Freeview Play 2017
• YouTube on TV 2017

In-built content protection: Encrypted Media Extensions (EME), providing a standardized approach to Digital Rights Management (DRM) controlled access to premium content.

By adding third party players to the built-in Chromium media support, NetFront Browser BE provides the industry with a simple and universal way to integrate market proven components to control and deliver a high quality video experience for all devices. This in turn enhances consumer satisfaction by reducing CPU overhead during playback, leading to smoother and more reactive user interfaces.

The additional media pipeline API similarly allows for tighter platform integration for applications utilizing emerging HTML5-based standards such as W3C Media Source Extension (MSE) and Encrypted Media Extensions (EME), where the browser acts as a key component in media playback.

A member of the NetFront Browser family, NetFront Browser BE provides the highest level of HTML5 compliance. The ACCESS NetFront Browser family enables manufacturers to utilize a single supplier for their complete range of internet connected devices from small Internet of Things based devices to fully fledged HTML5 solutions in Set-Top Boxes, TVs and In-Vehicle Infotainment (IVI) systems. The NetFront Browser family has been deployed in over 1.5 billion devices to date, from smartphones and tablets through to e-Readers, game consoles, smart TVs and automotive head units.

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