Hardware
Catvision to manufacture 15 lakh STBs by 2017
KOLKATA: Catvision, a manufacturer, re-seller and system integrator, aims to manufacture 15 lakh set top boxes (STBs) by 2017 fiscal end.
The company has set sights on this goal as the cable TV sector prepares for phase III and IV of digitisation. Catvision is looking at capturing a market share of one per cent with this.
Speaking to Indiantelevision.com, Catvision managing director Athar Abbas said, “With the extension in the deadline for cable TV digitisation, the industry will be able to cater to all the needs of the fragmented markets. By the end of 2015-16, we are looking at five lakh STBs and by 2016-17 we aim to manufacture another one million STBs.”
Talking about Phase I and II, Abbas said that India could achieve an ambitious target as the digitization process as a whole was well executed in these two phases. “No one expected that Phase I and II would be done on time but India did it. However, in the remaining phases, the biggest challenge would be fragmented markets,” Abbas said, when queried about the challenges the locations, falling under Phase III and IV, might pose.
Speaking on the delay that digitization Phase III and IV have encountered, Abbas said that the government was keen on STBs being manufactured in the country. “The delay will give employment opportunities to many and keep a check on the balance. The industry is happy as the VAT has been reduced from 12.5 per cent to two per cent,” he said.
Catvision was promoted in 1985 by professionals, who earlier worked in senior positions with the HCL group of companies – India’s largest computer and IT conglomerate. In 1986 Catvision started installing complete CATV systems in company townships and hotels – the first cable TV network in India.
In 1990, it became the exclusive agent of CNN for a period of five years. The first Gulf War, captured live on CNN, triggered commercial cable TV in India. In 1995, the company made a public issue of stock. At present the company’s stock is listed at the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE). The company has its head office at Noida, and manufacturing unit at Dehradun.
Hardware
Specs Inc. partners with Qualcomm for next-generation smart glasses
Snap subsidiary to power future Specs with Snapdragon XR platforms.
MUMBAI: Snap’s Specs are about to get a serious upgrade and this time, they’re teaming up with Qualcomm to make sure the future looks crystal clear. Specs Inc., a Snap subsidiary, has announced a multi-year strategic agreement with Qualcomm Technologies to power future generations of its advanced smart eyewear with Snapdragon system-on-a-chip (SoC) technology.
This marks the first flagship engagement for Specs Inc., which is preparing to launch its standalone, see-through smart glasses for consumers later this year. The Specs are designed to seamlessly blend digital experiences into the physical world, allowing users to see, hear, and interact with digital content as if it were part of their real surroundings.
By integrating Snapdragon XR platforms, the glasses will benefit from edge AI and high-performance, low-power computing. This combination enables intelligent, context-aware experiences to run directly on the device, delivering faster and more private interactions.
The partnership builds on more than five years of collaboration between Snap and Qualcomm, during which Snapdragon platforms have powered multiple generations of Snap’s Spectacles.
Snap Inc., co-founder and CEO Evan Spiegel said, “We believe the future of computing will be more human and grounded in the real world. Our work with Qualcomm provides a strong foundation for the future of Specs, bringing advanced technology and performance that pushes the boundaries of what’s possible.”
Qualcomm Incorporated president and CEO Cristiano Amon added, “The next era of computing will be defined by devices that understand what you see, hear and say, and respond instantly to the world around you. Our collaboration on Specs will enable power-efficient interactive AR devices that feel natural and intuitive.”
The agreement establishes a scalable foundation for developers and partners building experiences for Specs, supporting a predictable product roadmap and increasingly sophisticated digital interactions over time.
In a world racing toward augmented reality, Specs Inc. and Qualcomm are ensuring that the next pair of smart glasses doesn’t just look good on paper, they perform brilliantly in real life. The future of wearable computing just got a powerful new lens.
