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Intel's new CEO killed off and sold Intel TV

by on31 January 2014



Otelini’s project was doomed

We heard a quite interesting story that led to Verizon's acquisition of Intel TV. Despite the fact that the project was ready to be showed to editors and that a few thousand people took part in internal testing, the new management decided to sell this division to Verizon.

Apparently the technology was mature and ready to launch and even the deals with content providers and TV networks were in place. Intel's new CEO Brian Krzanich and President Renee James, the duo that took the helm from Paul Otellini. Following tradition, the new CEO decided to kill off the old CEO's personal projects. Intel TV was Ottelini’s baby, his pet project, and it had to go down with him.

Verizon benefits from this internal fight as it gets rather promising TV technology. We do understand the Krzanich's scepticism, as even mighty Google has failed to transform the TV market with Google TV. Intel is a chip company and never had much success in media. Krzanich, an operations guy who likes to run fabs and sell chips, failed to understand that content is king, getting into the game sometimes tends to be a huge gamble.

Intel OnCue (that was the official name of Intel TV ed.) is now in the capable hands of Verizon and let’s hope we will see the products based on it very soon. In effort to become a player in internet based TV, Verizon acquired EdgeCast last December. EdgeCast is an industry leader in content delivery networks.

Erik Huggers , the chap that came to build Intel OnCue, was a corporate vice president and general manager of Intel Media.

He said: "We're incredibly proud of what we've achieved. Intel provided us with the technological know-how and resources to develop products and services that will fundamentally change the way we experience TV, and now Verizon gives us access to the marketplace and the ability to scale. It's the next logical step, and we're excited about the road ahead."

It is an uncertain road ahead but it might lead to some sort of success.

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