Samsung Acquires Boxee

The $30 million buyout just the latest chapter in the two companies' struggle.

Boxee, the former makers of the Boxee Box and more recently the Boxee Cloud DVR, has been acquired by Samsung. Presumably, the two will try to accomplish together what they failed to manage apart, a smart TV product that sees Roku levels of adoption.

That is not to say that both companies have not had successes with Samsung in particular probably managing to have the most popular smart TVs. Still, Boxee's origins with the Boxee Box promised an XBMC like set-top box that would never want for software and is now sadly out-of-date with support from Boxee mainly dropped altogether. In comparison, Samsung has had attempts with both Google TV and Android-based displays that were meant to captivate buyers, but still suffer from typical smart TV clunky interfaces and quick outdating of functionality.

It is reasonable to surmise that Samsung will take the small Boxee workforce and assets and try to infuse them into future smart TV models. The question is though, will the Boxee brand be rolled into Samsung's offerings or eradicated outright.

Source: The Verge

Author: Brian Hoss