PPDS confirmed its long-term commitment to the inclusion of Chromecast built-in wireless streaming technology on all current and future Google-certified Philips MediaSuite hospitality TV. Global sales are projected to reach 300,000 before the year end.
Part of its partnership with Google across its portfolio of Android-powered solutions, including digital signage, interactive displays, and hospitality and business TVs, PPDS’ commitment to Chromecast built-in has been welcomed by hoteliers and hospitality integrators globally following Google’s announcement, made on September 22, that it will discontinue its third generation external Chromecast—a unit that is functionally equivalent to the Chromecast built-in to Philips MediaSuite TVs.
A part of PPDS’ strategy in putting guests in control of their in-room entertainment experience while bringing back-end features, capabilities, and cost efficiencies to hoteliers, the inclusion of Chromecast built-in on Philips MediaSuite TVs has been a differentiator in the market. Global sales of Philips MediaSuite are set to exceed 300,000 by the end of this year, with the series now growing in number in European countries and with North American sales also growing since the series become available last year. Philips MediaSuite TVs, and the Philips B-Line display, which also comes with Chromecast built-in as standard, have also become a choice for student accommodation, meeting rooms and corporate huddle spaces, bars, and restaurants, to name just a few.
With Chromecast built-in on Philips MediaSuite TVs, guests can replicate the way they consume their content at home inside their hotel room. Guests can cast movies, TV shows, music, photos, and presentations stored or accessible via their own personal smart device to the TV. There are over 10,000 apps to choose from, including Apple TV+, Disney+, HBO Max, Netflix, Spotify, and YouTube, with services able to be added remotely as and when they become available.
With Philips MediaSuite TVs designed for professional use, the Chromecast built-in solution also benefits from security with connections to the device severed and all data—such as account login information—cleared and logged out upon checkout.
Jeroen Verhaeghe, global business development director for hospitality at PPDS, commented, “Philips MediaSuite TVs have been designed exclusively around the in-room hotel room experience, understanding and providing the solutions required and craved after by both the hotel and its guests. Our goal is to support hoteliers in ensuring all expectations are achieved or surpassed, and Chromecast plays an important role in this being achieved.”
He continued, “In our recent PPDS Guest Behaviour Survey, we found that 71 percent of hotel guests turn on the TV in their hotel room. If the features and functionality on that TV don’t mirror or exceed those achieved at home, then the experience is immediately compromised. Philips MediaSuite raised the bar and changed the perception of hotel TVs, the services they can provide, and how they can be used to enhance the overall guest experience. With the current evolution of Chromecast dongles not a fit for use within the hospitality industry, we are honored that Philips MediaSuite is now the preferred choice for hotels and businesses looking to offer Chromecast built-in to enhance their guests’ experiences.”
Jan van Hecke, global product manager professional TV at PPDS, added, “Rather than an add-on service, we literally built Chromecast into our TVs—a first for any professional TV in this space, providing a unique and seamlessly accessible solution to meet guests’ entertainment needs. This is, of course, backed with a level of security that is not easily achievable with external dongles for added peace of mind. Chromecast built-in remains an integral part of our overall hospitality proposition, to bring ever-evolving, home-away-from-home experiences into hotel rooms and we’re delighted to confirm our long-term commitment to this technology with Google.”
