Why HbbTV is needed for broadband-only television
This article is part of a series based on presentations from the HbbTV Symposium and Awards 2025, bringing together insights from across the industry on the future of broadcast services and connected television. Covering topics from broadband-only delivery and addressable advertising to interoperability and evolving standards, the series captures key discussions and expert perspectives shaping the next phase of HbbTV and the wider TV ecosystem.
Matthew Huntington
At the HbbTV Symposium 2025, Matthew Huntington explored a question that is increasingly being asked across the industry: if television is moving to an all-IP future, is HbbTV still needed?
At first glance, the question seems reasonable. As broadcast networks evolve and broadband delivery becomes dominant, it is easy to assume that web technologies alone could support the next generation of TV services. However, as the presentation highlighted, this view overlooks the original purpose of HbbTV and the unique characteristics of the television environment.
To understand whether HbbTV is still relevant, it is useful to revisit why it was created in the first place. HbbTV was designed as a standardised way to build interoperable HTML-based applications for televisions. While HTML, JavaScript and CSS provide the foundation, they are not sufficient on their own to deliver consistent, reliable TV experiences across devices and markets.
From the outset, HbbTV addressed two fundamental challenges: extending web technologies to meet the specific needs of television, and ensuring interoperability across a highly fragmented ecosystem.
The first of these remains highly relevant in a broadband-only world. Television is not simply another web device. It operates in a complex environment where applications must coexist with linear channels, native device interfaces and remote-control interactions. This requires capabilities that go beyond standard web specifications.
For example, applications often need to be associated with linear services, even when those services are delivered over IP. They must manage application lifecycles, respond to broadcast or stream events, and integrate with device-level features such as accessibility and capability management. While video playback has largely been standardised within web technologies, many other TV-specific requirements have not been absorbed into mainstream browser standards.
The second challenge, interoperability, is arguably even more critical in an all-IP environment. Unlike smartphones or PCs, televisions have long lifecycles and limited software updates. A TV purchased today may remain in use for seven years or more, often receiving only a small number of firmware updates early in its life.
At the same time, web technologies continue to evolve rapidly under the stewardship of organisations such as the Web Hypertext Application Technology Working Group (WHATWG). This creates a mismatch between fast-moving web standards and relatively static TV platforms. Without a framework like HbbTV to define stable points of interoperability, developers would struggle to build applications that work reliably across the installed base of devices.
HbbTV effectively acts as a contract between application developers and device manufacturers. Each version of the specification defines a consistent set of capabilities that developers can rely on, regardless of the underlying hardware or operating system. This is essential in a market characterised by multiple manufacturers, operating systems and regional implementations.
Crucially, moving to an IP-only delivery model does not remove these challenges. While the term “broadcast” may become less relevant, the concept of linear television remains. Viewers will continue to consume scheduled content, and services will still need to integrate applications with those streams. As a result, most of the functionality defined by HbbTV remains necessary, even if the underlying delivery mechanism changes.
The conclusion from the session was clear: the shift to broadband-only television does not diminish the need for HbbTV. If anything, it reinforces its role.
As the industry transitions towards IP delivery, standards that ensure interoperability, stability and a consistent developer experience become even more important. HbbTV continues to provide that foundation, enabling innovation while maintaining compatibility across a diverse and long-lived device ecosystem.
Rather than being a legacy of the broadcast era, HbbTV remains a key enabler of the future of television, regardless of how that television is delivered.
Watch the presentation and explore further
You can watch the full presentation from the HbbTV Symposium 2025 here: Watch the Video
The presentation slides are also available to download: Download the presentation
Next in the series
Discover how satellite TV is being reimagined for the connected era, as Ralph Edeine explores the power of hybrid delivery using DVB-I and HbbTV to enhance user experience, simplify service discovery and unlock new monetisation opportunities.
