The development of a new generation of smart TVs in China is giving rise to smart TV apps, since apps are the best way to gain traction from Smart TV users, just like on smartphones. Dangbei, an app store for smart TV, is focused on this market.
Taking a similar model with mobile app store Gfan, Dangbei runs a news site ZNDS and a TV client Dangbei Market, which are complementary to each other.
Launched in Sep. 2013, DZDS is positioned as a smart TV portal where users can download various TV apps and share their experiences in using new software and hardware. The site’s daily visitors stood at around 100K.
Dangbei Market now provides more than 300 TV apps to users, who can upgrade and download these apps on the platform. The apps store is compatible with set-top boxes under over 10 brands, like Alibaba’s Tmall Box, Xiaomi and LeTV. Its monthly downloads hits around 400K.
The company has raised millions of angel investment from Zhejiang Daily Media. Dangbei is supported by a 20-member team led by Jin Linglin, a serial entrepreneur in smart TV industry.