China’s Alibaba Group develops smart set-top box

Chinese e-commerce business Alibaba Group has developed a smart TV operating system and aims to launch a set-top box in the coming months.

According to reports, the firm has developed the box in partnership with Wasu Media Holding, with other manufacturers due to make TVs incorporating the operating system.

The move sees Alibaba branch out from its core e-commerce background. The firm owns a number of sites including a Chinese Ebay-style service called Taobao, a Groupon-style daily deals site called Juhuasuanm and a shopping search engine called eTao.