Netgem SoundBox HD now available
May 17, 2018
By Colin Mann
TV and entertainment innovation specialist Netgem has launched its first all-in-one Smart soundbar + TV box in the UK. SoundBox HD is now available direct to consumers under the Netgem brand via Amazon.co.uk and will be bundled by Service Providers starting from June.
Following its unveiling in February 2017, Netgem SoundBox has had a positive reception from Service Providers, who have already confirmed distribution agreements to start in the coming weeks. To support this channel expansion beyond its existing B2B #TelcoTV model, during 2018 Netgem will launch a range of smart connected devices in the UK, all offering live and on-demand content across the best free and Premium content.
Netgem says the SoundBox offers an immersive TV user experience combined with a high quality sound speaker, giving the viewer access to all the best Music and Video content directly from the home screen, with Freeview live channels (and catch-up coming shortly), Prime Video (with one year of Amazon Prime included), and thousands of hours of on demand shows and box sets, from Amazon and a range of Content partners such as Hayu, Hopster and Deezer.
‘‘We are very excited to launch SoundBox HD in the UK,” declared Sylvain Thevenot, Managing Director at Netgem UK, who noted especially the User Interface, where content titles are available via a ‘one-click streaming’ without crawling through each app individually: each category presents the latest recommended titles available across Kids, Music, on demand Movies and Series, as well as live TV. “The way TV should be,’’ he asserted.
Content discovery on the Netgem TV platform is available via a traditional remote control, and also enhanced by using voice control with a very advanced Amazon Alexa skill.
With SoundBox HD, Netgem is opening a new distribution model starting online with www.amazon.co.uk, associated with a competitive launch offer (1 year of Amazon Prime included). According to Netgem, this direct-to-consumer proposition leads the way to new distribution models with Service Providers who will in turn bundle Netgem products with their connectivity or mobile propositions.
Sound Box HD is the first of a new range of Connected Home Entertainment products that Netgem will launch in the UK market in 2018 via the Amazon store and through distribution partners.