Thales has introduced 360Stream, a new inflight entertainment (IFE) platform that enables live, event-based television programming and offers DVR-like functionality for airline passengers. According to the company, it is the first system of its kind in the commercial aviation sector.
360Stream is designed to deliver live sports, news, and special events on board, working across mixed aircraft fleets and compatible with any IFE system or connectivity provider. The platform is currently live with the new Emirates A350, with content from providers including BBC News, CNN, and EuroNews, and more partners expected to be added soon.
A key feature of the service is its Digital Video Recorder (DVR) capability, which allows passengers to pause, rewind, fast-forward, or jump to live content, mimicking the experience of home-based streaming platforms. Thales states that this represents an industry-first at 40,000 feet.
The system also includes a Near-Live feature, which delivers condensed news and sports highlights to aircraft within an hour of broadcast. The company describes the process as a fully automated content workflow, linking ground and onboard systems to keep passengers up to date with major events in near real-time.
"Thales has delivered an industry first with 360Stream, to connect passengers with the world’s ‘happening now’ content," said Niels Steenstrup, CEO of Thales InFlyt Experience. "The innovative service benefits passengers with relevant and timely content so they won’t miss out on news and events. Working on any satellite network and with any inflight entertainment system provider, airlines are empowered to increase passenger engagement with flexibility for the future."
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Thales emphasizes that 360Stream is optimized for high streaming quality, with intelligent bandwidth management that can prioritize capacity for major live events. Passengers can access the content on their personal electronic devices without downloading an app, while airlines can integrate additional content partners within three days.
The new technology also aims to improve airline operations by reducing the need for traditional equipment and allowing for faster content updates across fleets. The company says this model offers improved scalability and enhances the passenger experience without increasing infrastructure demands.
Thales says 360Stream and the Near-Live service are already flying with select carriers, positioning the company to play a key role in shaping the future of inflight content delivery.
AUTOR
Contando la aviación desde marzo del año 2000. Fundador y Managing Editor de Aviacionline.
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