阿里巴巴爲何押注智能電視

Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba Group Holding Ltd. hasn't made much headway with its Aliyun mobile operating system, but it's now setting its sights on the TV market with its own smart TV software.

中國電子商務巨頭阿里巴巴集團控股有限公司(Alibaba Group Holding Ltd.)的阿里雲移動操作系統沒有取得什麼進展，但現在，阿里巴巴將目光對準電視市場，推出自己的智能電視軟件。

Alibaba said it is drawing on partnerships with content providers and Chinese TV makers such as Skyworth Digital Holdings Ltd. and Changhong Electric Co. that will incorporate the software into their TVs.

阿里巴巴說，其正與內容提供商和中國電視生產商組成夥伴關係。創維數碼控股有限公司(Skyworth Digital Holdings Ltd.)和長虹電器(Changhong Electric Co.)等電視生產商將把阿里巴巴的軟件整合到他們生產的電視中。

The move illustrates yet another attempt by Alibaba to diversify its operations. Alibaba built its own cloud computing unit in 2009 and introduced its own smartphone operating system in 2011. It also stepped up investments for its Internet business, including a stake investment in Sina Corp.'s Twitter-like Weibo service, a funding program for app developers, and subsidies to handset makers.

這一舉動是阿里巴巴試圖實現業務多元化的又一次嘗試。阿里巴巴於2009年成立了雲計算子公司，並於2011年推出自己的智能手機操作系統。同時阿里巴巴還加強了對互聯網業務的投資，包括入股新浪(Sina Corp.)的微博服務，爲應用開發商提供資金的項目，以及爲手機生產商提供補貼。

But Alibaba has seen little success in its smartphone operating system in China where it aims to take on Google's dominant position in the market.

但阿里巴巴的智能手機操作系統在中國沒能獲得成功，該公司本想挑戰谷歌(Google)在這一市場的主導地位。

Alibaba joins other technology companies such as Google, Samsung Electronics Co. and Apple Inc. in trying to develop a standard operating system for smart TVs that allow users to download apps, movies and surf the Web. But the companies haven't made much headway due to lack of interest from consumers. Unlike the mobile industry, there are no dominant software platforms for web-connected TVs and the area is seen as the next battleground for major technology giants.

阿里巴巴加入了谷歌、三星電子(Samsung Electronics Co.)和蘋果(Apple Inc.)等科技公司的行列，試圖開發針對智能電視的標準操作系統，讓用戶可以在電視上下載應用程序、電影並上網。但由於消費者缺乏興趣，這些公司尚未取得重大進展。不同於手機行業的是，聯網電視尚無占主導地位的軟件平臺，這一領域被認爲是主要科技巨頭們的下一個戰場。

Analysts said Alibaba's smart TV operating system is a logical move as China's Internet TV market is still immature and has big growth potential.

分析人士說，阿里巴巴進軍智能電視操作系統是合理的舉動，因爲中國互聯網電視市場還不成熟，仍有很大的增長潛力。

Currently, most smart TVs in China are based on Android operating systems. But TV makers and customers would love to have more choices as competition helps bring better services, said IDC analyst Neo Zheng in Beijing. Alibaba's cooperation with [government-controlled] Wasu media also gives it a better chance to succeed in China's Internet TV market.

國際數據公司(IDC)駐北京的分析師鄭熙(Neo Zheng)說，目前，中國大多數智能電視都是基於安卓(Android)操作系統。但電視生產商和消費者會樂於擁有更多選擇，因爲競爭有助於帶來更好的服務。通過與（政府控股的）華數傳媒(Wasu Media)合作，也讓阿里巴巴在中國網絡電視市場成功的機率更大。

The company said it expects to launch a set-top box in the next few months but it didn't disclose the price.

阿里巴巴說，預計將在未來幾個月內發佈一款機頂盒，但沒有透露價格。

IDC forecasts the penetration rate of smart TVs in China to rise to more than 50% next year from about 40% this year. The volume of smart TV shipments is projected to rise 45% to 40 million units next year.

IDC預計，明年中國的智能電視滲透率將從今年的40%左右上升至50%以上。智能電視發貨量明年預計將增長45%，至4,000萬臺。

To promote its own TV operating system, Alibaba also said it has formed an alliance U.S.-based Cisco Systems Inc., though an Alibaba spokeswoman didn't provide details on how Cisco would be working with Alibaba. A Cisco representative couldn't immediately be reached for comment.

爲了推廣自己的電視操作系統，阿里巴巴還說其已經與美國的思科系統(Cisco Systems Inc.)聯手，但阿里巴巴發言人沒有提供思科如何與阿里巴巴合作的細節。記者無法立即聯繫思科的代表置評。