WarnerMedia announced that it has closed a purchase of Ottawa, Canada-based OTT technology company You.i TV for an undisclosed sum.
You.i TV makes OTT applications for media companies, including WarnerMedia and its parent company, AT&T, servicing the multi-platform needs of brands including including AT&T TV Now, TNT, TBS, truTV, B/R Live and Rooster Teeth. Notably, You.i TV’s technology is the foundation for WarnerMedia’s recently launched RIDE in-car streaming platform.
The company’s You.i Engine One enterprise development platform delivers video apps across mobile, tablet, game consoles, streaming devices, set-top boxes and smart TVs using a single codebase. The single codebase approach allows developers to build app features and make user experience changes once and then deploy across a variety of devices and operating systems, saving time and speeding delivery.
WarnerMedia said You.i Engine One technology will help it deploy HBO Max across international territories starting next year.
“The You.i Engine One technology, and the development teams behind it, are best-in-class,” said Jason Press, WarnerMedia executive VP of direct-to-consumer technology and program management, in a statement. “The You.i platform will enhance the HBO Max technology stack, increase developer efficiency, and accelerate delivery as we bring HBO Max to consumer devices all around the world.”
WarnerMedia didn’t say whether You.i TV management, including CEO Jason Flick, will remain in place, or if the company’s 200-plus employees will stay intact in Ottawa.
The startup was founded in 2007 and privately funded with $38.1 million, with investors including the erstwhile Time Warner Inc. and Sky UK.
