Metrological announced the availability of its "Watch with Twitter" service, which leverages the video program guide to display Twitter content side by side with TV shows, directly on the TV screen.
Once integrated, the app launches when consumers turn on their TV, regardless of the channel viewed. The integrated app experience displays trending programming and live Tweets that are contextual to the live TV programming as an overlay. Consumers can click in with their remote control to change the channel to watch popular content identified in the "Trending on" Twitter feed. The experience is managed by a browser-based implementation of the Metrological Application Platform.
"With this product, operators can now offer an experience that combines TV viewing with Twitter," said Robert Cloudt, head of content management and strategy of Metrological. "This 'Watch with Twitter' implementation integrates social media content seamlessly with their platform. This gives consumers another way to discover content and move from one piece of trending TV programming to the next, instantly, without leaving the main screen."
Brenda O'Connell, director of business development for Twitter in EMEA, said: "We are delighted to be working with Metrological on this integration that will allow operators to bring Tweets together with broadcast TV live on the set-top box. This app gives people the best of both worlds - the ability to sit back and watch TV, while incorporating the immediacy of Twitter. Viewers will be able to instantly see for themselves what all the buzz is around a particular piece of content."