USTC iFlytek Partners with Chinese TV Makers
21st Century Business Herald, 3/25/12
Chinese software firm Anhui USTC iFlytek (002230.SZ) announced recently that it has reached partnership agreements with nearly ten domestic television manufacturers to embed its intelligent language software in their smart televisions - including Skyworth (0751.HK), Konka (200016.SZ, 000016.SZ), Changhong (600839.SH), and TCL Corporation (000100.SZ), all of whose smart TVs use iFlytek's language software. At present, television manufacturers purchase voice software or chips from iFlytek via a one-time payment, and make all related applications freely available to users by means of a slight increase in the sale price of television sets. Smart TV makers and iFlytek have yet to find a value-added service model for partnerships.
Cheng Yong, GM of the sales subsidiary of Changhong subsidiary Changhong Multimedia Industry, revealed that Changhong and iFlytek had formed a strategic partnership in late 2011 for the development of a joint laboratory focusing on developing voice technology applications for the smart television market. In February of this year, iFlytek and Changhong's jointly developed "Ciri Smart Voice Interaction System" was featured in Changhong's newest smart TV product.
iFlytek chairman and president Liu Qingfeng predicted that voice control technology would be a standard feature of all new appliances in the future - including mobile phones, home appliances, private automobiles, and even toys.
Keywords: voice recognition Cheng Yong Liu Qingfeng television iFlytek 002230.SZ smart TV TV set