Just when you thought you had a handle on popup"s, popunders and Shoshkeles, Microsoft now wants to know what your watching, when your watching on it"s Interactive TV system! Gees, what next....
Microsoft and Predictive Networks signed a deal Tuesday to incorporate profiling technology into the software behemoth"s interactive TV platform, matching similar moves in the market.
Through the partnership, Microsoft said it will incorporate Predictive"s software into its ITV operating system to create profiles based on subscribers" viewing habits -- but without collecting personally identifiable data. The viewer profiles are used to target advertising, match and recommend programming, and conduct market research.
By incorporating Predictive"s software, Microsoft hopes to make its technology more attractive to advertisers and consumers, who will be able to view advertising, content and programming tailored to a composite identity based on a history of viewing patterns. Ideally, this type of targeted information will give cable companies the chance to charge a premium for marketing placements on the service.
But analysts say that while promising, this market has yet to take off on the Internet, let alone on interactive TV.
Microsoft and Predictive plan to demonstrate the technology May 5 to May 8 at cable industry show NCTA Convention in New Orleans.