Applications
Pace is largest supplier of STBs to pay-TV industry: IMS
MUMBAI: Pace plc, a leading technology developer for the global payTV industry, is ranked as the world‘s largest supplier of set-top boxes to the payTV industry, according to IMS Research.
The ranking is based on the number of digital set-top boxes shipped to pay-TV customers in 2009 worldwide.
“The world market for set-top boxes and iDTVs show that a major increase in its set-top box sales propelled Pace from third place in 2008 to first in 2009,” the study said.
The set-top-box shipments grew 15.2 per cent year-on-year on a global basis from 2008 to 2009.
Pace has delivered remarkable growth over the past three years, developing a leadership position by creating and delivering set-top box technology – particularly HD, PVR and hybrid devices – for over 100 of the world‘s payTV operators.
Said Pace CEO Neil Gaydon, “This is an incredible achievement for our company. It is testament to the continuous innovation and focus in delivering on our strategy to lead in converged home entertainment. We have worked very hard to build a customer-centric organisation, working closely with our partners and consistently delivering outstanding, innovative products. Our people and culture are the driving force behind our becoming the world‘s number one.”
2009 was a record year for Pace. It was in the year that Pace built on the successful integration of the Philips set-top box division and this powerful combination went on to deliver substantial organic growth.
Applications
With 57 per cent single new users, Ashley Madison rebrands as discreet dating platform
Platform says majority of new members now identify as single
INDIA: Ashley Madison is shedding the “married-dating” label that defined it for two decades, repositioning itself as a platform for discreet dating in what it calls the post-social media age.
The rebrand, unveiled in India on 27 February, 2026, marks a structural shift in business model and identity. Once synonymous with married dating, the company now describes itself as the “premier destination for discreet dating” under a new tagline: Where Desire Meets Discretion.
The pivot is data-driven. Internal figures show that 57 per cent of global sign-ups between 1 January and 31 December, 2025 identified as single: a notable departure from the platform’s married core. The company argues that its community has already evolved beyond its original positioning.
“In an age where our lives have been constantly put on public display, privacy has become the new luxury,” said Ashley Madison chief strategy officer Paul Keable. He framed the platform’s offering as “ethical discretion” for singles, separated, divorced and non-monogamous users seeking private connections.
The shift also taps into wider digital fatigue. A global survey conducted by YouGov for Ashley Madison, covering 13,071 adults across Australia, Brazil, Canada, Germany, India, Italy, Mexico, Spain, Switzerland, the UK and the US, found mounting discomfort with hyper-public online lives.
Among dating app users, 30 per cent cited constant swiping and messaging as a source of fatigue, while 24 per cent pointed to pressure to curate public-facing profiles and early personal disclosure. Some 27 per cent said fears of screenshots or information being shared contributed to exhaustion; an equal share cited unwanted attention.
The retreat from oversharing appears broader. According to the survey, 46 per cent of adults actively try to keep most aspects of their life private online. Only 8 per cent feel comfortable sharing most aspects publicly, while 35 per cent say they are becoming more selective about what they disclose.
Ashley Madison is betting that this cultural recalibration towards controlled visibility can be monetised. By doubling down on privacy infrastructure and reframing itself around discretion rather than infidelity, the company is attempting to convert reputational baggage into a premium proposition.
