Even though smart TVs are slightly more expensive, most people are making the investment in this technology because of all the features they offer. Reliable broadband access is one of the reasons smart TVs are being adopted globally at a much faster rate. The collaboration of software and hardware manufacturers in this sector, in particular, is creating more opportunities for new services for the consumer using these types of TVs.

MediaTek, Inc. has integrated the Opera TV Store into its chipset for Smart TVs so manufacturers can add more value regarding content and faster time to market with their products.

The Opera TV Store is based on a growing standard of the HTML5 framework, which is increasingly being adopted by developers and manufacturers for their products. Using this standard will eliminate issues related with compatibility, which often frustrates consumers to the point where they don’t purchase a particular brand.

The Opera browsing engine is one of the biggest browsers in the market, and because it offers one of the most advanced Web development environments, OEMs have more control in how they place and promote their products in the Opera store.

This tool not only provides OEMs new ways of introducing their products, but it also gives the consumer better access to the Web. The service from Opera offers more than 100 Web apps, including Facebook (News - Alert), Twitter, Vimeo, Associate Press news and many others.

Improvement on the system has increased search engine performance for apps and games as well as new methods of endorsing applications. Apps can be featured using updated algorithms to place them based on the popularity of the item or vendor and geographical location to get the best result.

The application creates a split-screen with half-television programming and half-app, allowing the user to do more with their TV.

"Implementing the Opera TV Store in MediaTek's (News - Alert) Smart TV solution will help to move smart TVs from being a novelty to the mainstream. Millions of app-hungry users will be able to enjoy a comfortable, 'lean back' experience on their TVs. The restyled Opera TV Store now makes it even easier for users to get to the apps they want and the content they need,” said Lars Boilesen, CEO at Opera Software (News - Alert).

Sony Bravia TVs and Blue-ray DVD players currently provide the Opera TV Store, and more manufacturers are already adopting the platform, including TLC and Humax.