Shazam to Tag the Olympics as Competitors Prep Own Recognition Technology
Last month, sound recognition app Shazam announced a partnership with NBC to make the 2012 London Olympics more interactive. The app can be used to tag the telecast and unlock additional content like athlete profiles, event results and a running tally of medal winners. Users will also be able to participate in polls and share via social media. The partnership compelled Shazam CEO Andrew Fisher to claim that his app is now “the leader in second-screen interactive television.”
While Shazam continues to focus on television tagging, competitors are emerging in the music recognition arena. Among the new array of products unveiled at the Google’s developer conference came an in-house rival to Shazam. Google Sound Search, also known as Google Ears, recognizes a song and offers instant access to artist info and a link to purchase the song from the Google Play Store. The feature will come equipped in the new Android operating system, nicknamed Jelly Bean.
Interscope Records is also working with sound recognition to offer music fans a more interactive experience, particularly during live concerts. Last week, the record label struck a deal with Sonic Notify. The app picks up inaudible sound waves which trigger push notifications on mobile devices and transmit additional content. Previously, DJs had used Sonic Notify to send out setlists to users in the audience. In February, Lady Gaga tested the app by disseminating images and allowing fans to vote for the encore songs during the European leg of her Monster Ball tour. The Interscope deal will have similar promotions and fan outreach with other label artists. The app was incubated by the technology division of Cantora Records, MGMT’s record label.
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