Mr Yangbin Wang: We provide technology to help service providers to retain and grow their subscriber base by increasing the stickiness of their user experience.

Vobile is targeting new digital media opportunities with its Video DNA (VDNA) fingerprinting technology, and is looking to Singapore as a base for growing its business in the region.

Established in the United States in 2005, Vobile offers digital content identification and management products and services for companies in the digital content value chain. The current business that it operates in is the protection and management of digital content rights.

The company’s patented and commercially proven VDNA technology enables accurate and speedy identification based on visual and/or audio fingerprints. It also has the largest registry of owner-submitted content fingerprints. For content owners, Vobile's products enable tracking, detection, and removal of online infringement of their content IP. For publishers, Vobile solutions enable screening of end user's uploads to minimise legal liability from infringements.

Vobile is targeting its solutions at major studios, TV networks, record labels and sports leagues which require fast, accurate and scalable identification, tracking and management of digital content trans-media over a wide range of platforms. Its VDNA technology, for example, was used by CCTV to prevent unauthorised distribution of videos on the Beijing Olympics. The company also works with all major Hollywood studios such as Disney, Warner Brothers, Paramount, Sony Pictures, Fox and Universal as well as the four leading broadcasting TV networks in the United States – ABC, CBS, NBC and FOX.

Another market that Vobile is eyeing is smart TV. According to TechNavio, the research platform of Infiniti Research, the Smart TV market is forecast to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 20.6 per cent during the period 2011 to 2015.

Like smart phones, smart TVs come with Internet-connected services which are not available with normal television sets. They offer apps, media streaming, web browsing, games and Internet Protocol television (IPTV). However, these developments may impact traditional cable providers if viewers decide to drop their paid subscriptions in favour of free Internet videos.

“Service providers are highly cognizant of the fact that with the advent of smart TV, they face the risk of losing eyeballs. We provide technology to help the service providers to retain and grow their subscriber base by increasing the stickiness of their user experience,” explained Vobile’s Chief Executive Officer Mr Yangbin Wang. To address this opportunity, Vobile has developed an Internet video search engine which can better find and recommend content to the subscribers.

Even as it extends the breadth and depth of its offerings, Vobile is also expanding its geographical footprint with offices in Germany, China, Japan and Singapore, where it has chosen to set up its regional headquarters.

“Singapore was a natural choice as it is also the regional headquarters for many content brands such as Discovery and ESPN. Its multiculturalism and bilingualism helped as well. The infrastructure network is good and content can be securely located in Singapore and distributed to other countries. The Government, especially the IDA (Infocomm Development Authority of Singapore) has been very proactive, and we have been able to meet with key decision makers for business discussion,” said Mr Wang.

IDA supports Vobile in its efforts to establish its content identification and monetisation platform. Based out of Singapore, the platform will enable content owners and publishers in the region to access to Vobile’s content tracking, protection and identification solutions.

“We have a great working relationship with the IDA,” said Mr Wang. “We have benefitted from IDA’s Digital Marketplace programme, which aims to put in place a conducive environment and infrastructure to enable distribution of digital assets to be conducted in and through Singapore.”

Besides a marketing and sales function, the Singapore office also does research and development. “It is easy to find good employees here as there are good universities in Singapore with a ready talent pool,” noted Mr Wang.

The Vobile Content Identification Platform

The Vobile Content Identification Platform consists of several key components including the Vobile DNA client and server, and the Vobile DNA Database. The client may be implemented across various platforms such as the PC, mobile phones, tablets, or smart consumer electronic devices such as the smart TV. It extracts the unique fingerprint data from audio-visual content and communicates with the VDNA server to see if there is a match in the reference fingerprint database (the Vobile DNA Database). If a match is found, the server will provide comprehensive metadata on the match. This information is presented via a user-friendly interface (enriched UX or user experience).