TiVo to quit its US hardware business?

Tivo’s new management has suggested that it might get out of box retailing in the US and focus on software and services.
New owner Rovi’s chief financial officer Peter Halt’ said in an SEC presentation:
“What the consumer channel gives TiVo is a direct contact with the consumer and a very passionate loyal audience that gives them direct feedback, but being in the hardware business isn’t something that necessarily excites us.”
Instead, Halt suggests that deals with box-builders could be on the cards. “There are several box providers out there who are direct-to-retail. We’ll be looking at the possibilities of working with them, having them control the box.
“And while that would be a partnership and we wouldn’t get all the sales as a result, we think that’s probably a better way to approach the consumer space.”
Such a deal would maintain a presence in the consumer market, without the company having to continue designing and building its own hardware.
That would leave Rovi/TiVo focussing on its search capability and Tivo’s recommendation engine, which by the look of recent Virgin Media statements will be running on Liberty Global’s Horizon hardware in the UK before too long.