Microsoft’s Mediaroom IPTV platform leads the IPTV middleware market and continues to grow in market share as of mid-2012 to 23% of deployed IPTV boxes, despite an environment that is beginning to fragment with many small and regional players. Chinese system integrators ZTE and Huawei also play strongly in the market, based on strong and growing IPTV platforms within China, notably those by China Telecom, which use different suppliers on a regional basis. “There is a strong split in the IPTV middleware market between system integrators providing an entire solution and specialists in applications and customer experience,” according to Sam Rosen, ABI Research practice director for TV & video.

“With the exception of Cisco, who recently purchased NDS, the system integrator’s role in customer experience will likely decline over the next few years; instead, this role will be left to client-centric middleware companies with better user experience,” continued Sam Rosen. “In addition to Microsoft, companies such as Viaccess-Orca (a subsidiary of France Telecom), Netgem, and others, all have a distinct philosophy on how to create an IPTV system.” Overall growth in IPTV households, however, means that few companies are likely to lose out. IPTV households will grow from 80 million in 2012 to 117 million in 2017, with growth driven by Asia-Pacific.

These findings are part of ABI Research’s Video SW Middleware and DRM (http://www.abiresearch.com/research/service/video-sw-middleware-and-drm/) Research Service, which includes Research Reports, Market Data, Insights, and Competitive Assessments. The service covers Middleware, including current operator initiatives such as advanced advertising, extension of user experience to search, recommendation and discovery, and the increasing role of hybrid delivery to cable, satellite, IPTV, and DTT platforms.

ABI Research provides in-depth analysis and quantitative forecasting of trends in global connectivity and other emerging technologies. From offices in North America, Europe and Asia, ABI Research’s worldwide team of experts advises thousands of decision makers through 70+ research and advisory services. Est. 1990. For more information visit www.abiresearch.com, or call +1.516.624.2500.