HBO has purchased video delivery systems from Azuki Systems.
An HBO executive declined to comment on the use for which the company would put the Azuki systems.
One possibility is that HBO is preparing for the iPad app that HBO President Eric Kessler in an interview in August said would be coming in six months – which would be just about now.
HBO now has an app that allows consumers to view video related to HBO shows, buy DVDs and access other related material. The promised app would allow subscribers to view the actual shows themselves.
HBO typically works with its multichannel video program distributor (MVPD) partners to get content to consumers. The company established HBO Go as a means to stream its content to anyone who already subscribes to HBO through a television service provider. The HBO Go site currently lists AT&T U-verse, Verizon FiOS, Comcast and a beta test with Cox.
Beyond simply making its content as widely available as possible via its service provider partners, HBO has been one of the most ambitious in terms of delivering its content directly to customers, provided those customers are indeed subscribers through one of the MVPDs. Once again, this points to a possible purpose for the Azuki systems. Azuki prides itself on the ability to deliver high-quality video to any mobile device over any network.
An Azuki spokesperson declined to confirm or deny the sale of equipment to HBO.
Azuki claims CBS, Sony Music, Sony Pictures, Sports Illustrated and Sprint as customers.