Tikclone: Redefining Internet Experience on TV

With an ever-increasing universe of online video content; browsing content to watch on TV is becoming a nightmare. For content publisher and TV OEMs, the simplest form of browsing will be the key feature of their solution for success,” begins Kedar Ingale, CEO and Co-founder of Tikclone. Specifically, the key challenges revolve around the ease of use and access to optimized content––users are not able to browse content on Smart TVs as easily as they do in laptops, smartphones, and tablets. This is solely because today’s websites are not specifically built for TVs, and TV is unlike the traditional computing device. Moreover, rolling out content on various fragmented TV platforms often turns out to be expensive for publishers; user retention and building a strong TV user base is a massive hurdle altogether. For OEMs as well, getting content publishers has become a major challenge. Addressing user experience as the key challenge that disconnects users from TVs, Tikclone emerged with a platform that enables users to share and view high quality seamless content on Smart TVs using their smartphones/tablets. “We have built a platform for Smart TV OEMs and content publishers so that they can increase user base, user retention, and monetization on large screens,” highlights Ingale.

Tikclone identified the fact that, no matter how innovative a solution may be, novice users often fail to understand the procedures involved in connecting devices and viewing content on their TVs. With Tikclone’s platform installed on TV and user smartphone, it eliminates time-consuming learning elements, and prerequisites such as the need to connect paired devices to the same router etc.

Powered by modern machine learning algorithms, the platform effectively allows novice users to search and launch content on Smart TVs using their smartphones or tablets. It is this simplicity that helps them adopt the solution quickly, with little or no technical knowledge at all. “Our goal is to bring laid back entertainment to novice user; much like traditional television,” points out Ingale.

Apart from the platform, the company designed an open API solution for OEMs and publishers to offer subscription-based free content. Technically, it is the integration of publisher’s website with this API that enables users to launch selective content (video) from webpage onto TV using mobile device. Solution is mobile browser agnostic. “An OEM TV platform integrated with our API lets any website publish content to that OEM network without the necessity of a TV app; whereas, existing TV apps will get easy search, browse, and launch content features through publishing website when paired with mobile device,” explains Ingale.

Also, as an added advantage for TV OEMs and publishers, integration with Tikclone’s platform also grants access to user analytics. Powered by artificial intelligence algorithms, these analytics help publishers to build the next generation content and design profit-oriented business models by understanding the user’s needs.

Not long since the company’s inception, the Tikclone platform was further fortified as they joined forces with Kaltura, a solution provider in the OTT and OVP (Online Video Platform) landscape. It is the integration of Kaltura’s video player with the platform that enables users to launch the Website-To-TV (second screen) feature and share videos seamlessly to their TVs using smartphones and tablets.

Forging ahead, Tikclone’s leaders are committed towards leveraging its vast expertise in the online video landscape to cater innovative solutions, while maintaining the age-old relationship between users and TVs.