iPhone to substitute for TV remote control

By Kim Tae-gyu

Staff reporter

KT, the country's second-largest mobile operator that sells the iPhone, said Sunday that it had introduced an application interconnecting the iPhone with its Web-enabled TV services, commercially called QOOK.

``Using the touch-sensitive screens of the iPhone, people can switch TV channels or change volume. The user interface would be very easy for all the subscribers,'' a KT official said.

``For tech-aware users, they can create dedicated channel lists based on their tastes. In addition, they can generate hot keys that connect them to their favorite interactive TV services such as news, weather information or road traffic data.''

Those who want to take advantage of the new features have to register their handset numbers at the QOOK TV services. Then they can download free applications from the Appstore, the treasure box of various programs.

The idea of converting a cell phone to a TV remote control is far from new because a host of other handsets offered similar features but they failed to draw attention for some reason.

Yet, people expect that things may be different for the iPhone, which has more often than not made folks go wild with even existing ideas.

The iPhone made its debut here in late November, a couple of years later than other markets due to domestic regulations obliging all handsets to be equipped with a homegrown mobile Internet platform.

Despite the late release, more than 700,000 have been sold in half a year and it has introduced the smartphones fad. Hence, many people believe the iPhone's remote control feature will make a difference.

It remains to be seen whether the universal iPhone would replace living room remotes. Market watchers appear to think that the chances are extremely thin ― who wants to use their iPhones for TV control? But who knows? This is an iPhone.

아이폰, 리모콘으로 변신하다

한국의 2위 이동통신사인 KT는 애플 아이폰에서 접속해 채널을 변경하거나 음량을 조정하는 등 쿡TV를 제어할 수 있는 아이폰 전용 애플리케이션을 출시한다고 20일 밝혔다.

아이폰이 리모콘 역할까지 하는 것이다. KT 관계자는 쿡TV에 등록하고 아이폰으로 무료 애플리케이션을 다운로드 받기만 하면 실행할 수 있는 매우 쉬운 서비스라고 설명했다.

능숙한 이용자는 이 애플리케이션을 통해 선호채널 리스트를 만든다든지, 양방향 서비스를 통해 날씨/신문/교통정보들을 한 번의 클릭으로 쿡TV에서 실행할 수 있는 단축키를 아이폰 상에 설정할 수도 있다.

리모콘 기능을 하는 휴대폰은 이전에도 있었지만 아이폰은 또 어떤 새로운 기능들이 나올지 귀추가 주목된다. 영향이 미미할 것이라 예상하는 이들도 있지만 어쨌던 아이폰 아닌가?