Telecom Italia to launch 4K Android set-top in June

Telecom Italia is to launch a new 4K-ready Android-based set-top box in collaboration with Google.

The new TIMvision box is claimed by the operator to be the first in Italy to use the Android TV operating system. Telecom Italia will launch the device in June, with a promotional offer making it available to new TIM Smart customers for €2 a month.

The device will be made available to existing TIMvision customers afterwards.

The box, which comes with voice-enabled search via the remote control, an integrated terrestrial receiver and is WiFi-enabled, will enable TIMvision customers to access the full range of apps available on Google Play for TV.

Te device can stream content wirelessly via 5GHz 802.11ac dual band WiFi and comes with an integrated DVB-T2 tuner.

The box is Google Cast-enabled to play content ‘cast’ from Android, IOS, Windows and Mac devices.

The set-top includes the Google Photo app, which is also available for iOS, allowing users to view images on their smartphone or tablet on the TV screen.

The set-top box comes with an infrared remote control and Bluetooth 4.1 with microphone to allow voice searching of programmes and news.

“A new frontier in digital entertainment available on your home TV screen has been crossed in Italy. This initiative is the result of an important collaboration with Google which allows us to offer TIMvision customers a new experience combining content and Web in an unprecedented way,” said Daniela Biscarini, Head of TIM multimedia entertainment.

The project is part of TIM’s strategy to disseminate innovative services and confirms our role as a technological enabler, with the aim of bringing our customers increasingly into touch with good quality streamed content and the new ways of enjoying it made possible by super-fast broadband networks.”