Intel winds down smart TV business

Intel has ditched its move into internet connected TVs after closing its Digital Home Group.

The company will continue to supply chips to gateway devices and set-top boxes but will wind down its Digital Home business. Digital Home Group staff will be relocated to focus on netbooks, smartphones and tablet devices.

Erik Huggers, a high profile appointment from BBC Future Media in January, will remain at Intel where he will lead a new group called Intel Media.

Intel’s decision is reportedly due to a lack of demand for its chipsets for internet-enabled flatscreen TVs. Intel’s Atom CE4100 chips currently are used to power to a variety of devices including  Sony’s Google TVs and the Logitech Revue Google TV-enabled set-top, but also the D-Link Boxee box as well as French ISP Free’s Freebox Révolution and Liberty Global’s Samsung-built Horizon set-tops.