Intel reportedly drops facial recognition from TV service

Intel has reportedly dropped facial recognition functionality from its forthcoming TV service, which is expected to roll out later this year. 

According to a Wall Street Journal report, Intel’s Erik Huggers decided not to pursue camera-based recognition, which would have been used to help personalised the TV experience, as the technology did not work well in low lighting and raised privacy concerns.

Huggers quit his role as the BBCs director of future media and technology in 2011 to join Intel and is leading the firm’s TV efforts. Intel is expected to launch a subscription set-top service that will deliver live TV, catch-up and additional content over the web.

According to reports last month, Intel is trailing its forthcoming TV product among some 2,000 company employees and has started to build a call-centre operation ahead of the launch.