TV operating systems become the dominant B2B front in streaming wars
A new TVREV report highlights a shift in the streaming wars towards connected TV (CTV) operating systems, such as Roku, Tizen (Samsung), and V (Hisense), which are becoming central for content discovery, advertising, data, and subscriptions. These platforms are evolving into robust monetization hubs, with companies expanding beyond hardware sales into advertising and data-driven businesses. The report also notes intensifying global competition, with platforms like V focusing on international markets and differentiated strategies for monetization.
Key Takeaways
- Roku’s platform business, including ads and subscriptions, generated 10 times more revenue than hardware sales in Q1 2026.
- Walmart is migrating its Onn-branded smart TVs from Roku to its proprietary Vizio-based OS to control retail media and viewership data.
- Hisense’s V platform (formerly VIDAA) has expanded to over 50 million devices, with high growth projected in Europe, North Africa, and Latin America.
- The Trade Desk and Ventura are launching collaborative ecosystems to standardize programmatic ad buying across fragmented global TV platforms.
Why It Matters
The control point of streaming has moved from the 'what' (content) to the 'how' (navigation and interface). Operating systems now serve as the primary gatekeepers for audience data, ad inventory, and subscription billing, effectively commoditizing the apps residing on them. For the broader ecosystem, this shift forces streaming services to navigate high gatekeeper fees and proprietary ad stacks to maintain visibility. Market participants should monitor whether independent platforms like V or Ventura can successfully challenge the Big Tech oligopoly of Google, Amazon, and Roku in high-value international markets.
Additional Context
The battle for TV operating system dominance is increasingly tied to the $81 billion global CTV advertising market projected for 2030. Per Omdia in May 2026, Google, Amazon, and Netflix are forecast to control roughly 50% of this revenue, underscoring the urgency for TV manufacturers to scale their own proprietary platforms. In North America, the competitive landscape is shifting rapidly following Walmart’s $2.3 billion acquisition of Vizio. Per reports from The Desk in November 2025, Walmart has already begun shipping Onn-branded TVs powered by Vizio OS, replacing previous Roku models as it seeks to integrate retail media directly into the living room. Omdia data from early 2026 suggests these retailer-led platforms could capture 47% of the North American OS market by 2029. While Big Tech remains dominant, specialized partnerships are forming to counter their data advantages. Per Digiday in June 2025, Roku and Amazon established a landmark advertising integration allowing marketers to reach over 80 million authenticated households through a shared identifier. This move was followed by The Trade Desk’s launch of the Ventura Ecosystem in February 2026. According to The Trade Desk’s announcement, this industry collaboration—which includes V and Nexxen as initial partners—is designed to create an open marketplace alternative to the walled gardens of dominant U.S. platforms. These developments indicate that the next phase of the industry will be defined by scale-driven alliances rather than isolated hardware sales.
Read full article at thedesk.net