Paul Arling
Analyst · Deutsche Bank
Thank you, Becky, and welcome everyone. Our results for the second quarter of 2012 in line with our expectations demonstrated solid performance in both our business and consumer categories. Over the years we have remained committed to pursuing our core philosophy of winning new customers, deepening existing relationships and introducing innovative yet simple solutions to the ever changing home entertainment environment. This strategy has proven successful time and time again for UEI as we continue to be at the forefront of changing trends in home entertainment.
We hold the firm belief in the future growth of our business and the pervasiveness of the Universal Control technology. While the traditional definition of a remote may change, and while television viewing habits may evolve to include additional devices and technologies, UEI continues to play an increasingly integral role in connecting controlling and simplifying the entertainment experience.
Whether you believe the traditional universal remote control will continue to be a mainstay in people's homes, or if you believe people will increasingly integrate advanced devices such as smartphones and tablets into their TV watching habits, the fact is that remote control technology is required for both and it is here to stay.
UEI is well positioned to take advantage of the blooming synergy between remote control, smartphone and tablet platforms. Our focus has been on identifying challenges consumers face in their home entertainment control experience and are applying new technologies to solve these problems.
UEI's QuickSet is one example of how we simplify the universal control setup experience for a consumer. QuickSet is an onscreen remote programming function that enables an affordable, intuitive, step-by-step interface that simplifies the programming of the remote control. Through an HDMI cable, the TV sends data to the set top box and the QuickSet software automatically picks up that data and programs the remote almost effortlessly.
Since its launch, QuickSet has been implemented across multiple products with 5 major consumer electronics brands, 3 major subscription broadcasters and 4 tablet brands currently in the market. We have also implemented QuickSet with a major game console brand whose product is not yet on the market.
We are involved in many development projects across the globe as well as becoming a de facto feature in connected devices. Today's consumers enjoy the benefits of consolidated A/V control using a single remote control. However, there are still ways to improve the user experience. Consumers are challenged by programming and remote setup, mode confusion and managing the many inputs on their televisions.
We envision a solution that enables the user to walk into a room and watch a TV program, a DVD, listen to music or play a game without having to change their television inputs, switch remotes or setup anything at all. Through easy to understand command keys, as simple as watch TV or play a game, the user experiences transparent and seamless transition from one device to another.
In other words, the system recognizes what the user wants to do and does it. These are the kind of technologies and control systems we are building at UEI. We are actively developing an integrated solution that does just that. This solution can recognize all the various components in the audio video stack, automatically how they operate, how they are connected and give consumers the power to control all these devices using a simple laid back traditional remote control or a more interactive lean forward control app on their tablet or smartphone.
QuickSet, Nevo for smart devices, our comprehensive control code libraries including, IR, IP and CEC commands and our universal control engine are the critical components of this user friendly control solution. The first is QuickSet which automatically detects and sets up all consumer electronic devices in the A/V system and can run on any connected device.
Nevo for smart devices is our newest innovation. Nevo for smart devices is an intuitive, touch screen control application that delivers a universal control solution on any iOS and Android tablet or smartphone. Our universal control code libraries provide a proven mechanism to transform any tablet, smartphone or connected A/V device into a universal controller supported by UEI's complete library of device control command.
And finally, our universal control engine is an embedded system that automatically optimizes control commands and builds one touch activities for all connected devices in the A/V system. This engine supports not only traditional IR devices, but also emerging CEC, RF and IP controllable systems.
For the first time ever, consumers will enjoy a home entertainment experience that eliminates input confusion. No more switching modes from cable to DVD when you want to watch a movie. No more worrying about encountering the dreaded blank gray screen while your movie plays along silently. Our solution enables the sophisticated level of communication between devices so you can watch your movie, play your game or listen to your music without reconfiguring inputs, changing remote settings or switching out remotes and these technologies work together to require no user set up whatsoever.
This has never been done before and it is as simple as it can be. We are in the late stages of development for this solution. We are currently showing this to many of our customers and interest levels are extremely high. We expect to share more on this solution later in the year. As always, we are aggressively evaluating opportunities to add new customers and deepen relationships with existing customers to expand our market presence.
This strategy is even more valuable as we look to further our penetration in smartphones and tablets. It is important to note that the 3 market share leading companies in television account for approximately 45% of all TV shipped, but it may surprise you to learn that these same companies account for approximately 40% of all the smartphones sold on the planet and we are presently supplying our remote control solutions to them.
With smartphones, we are looking at a very large market, nearly 3 times the size of the market for TVs. According to IDC, global shipments of smartphones are expected to rise 39% to 686 million units in 2012. Worldwide tablet penetration is expected to be over 20% by 2014. Unit shipments today have topped 100 million annually and are growing.
We believe that the overall margin opportunity that presents itself in these smart devices, that is smartphones and tablets combined, could be equal to or possibly eclipse the overall margin opportunity in today's traditional audio video market within the next few years. This clearly represents an immense opportunity for UEI.
If you consider our success in the A/V space, which has grown over the years to a point where we now power one third of all the remotes shipped annually and further consider the crossover our TV customers have into the smartphone and table arenas, you can begin to understand the scale of UEI's opportunities in smartphones and tablets and how we are well positioned.
Considering our great customer relationships combined with our technology expertise and our strong patent portfolio, we are excited about the significant opportunity to expand our relationships with customers and further penetrate these fast growing markets.
In addition, the traditional remote control continues to be a mainstay in homes across the globe. The traditional TV, cable and Bluray remote controls work well and have broad customer acceptance and high levels of satisfaction. They provide the relaxing, tap dial, lean back control that compliments the lean forward nature of smart device interfaces. Consumers still need and want a remote control to operate their home entertainment components.
Smart devices such as tablets and smartphones enhance the home entertainment experience by broadening the entertainment experience through improved constant search recommendation, information and social interaction. In essence, wherever there is a television, there is an opportunity to apply our products and technology.
Regardless of the control device, application or home entertainment system, UEI is at the forefront of innovation and we will continue to provide the products and technology that address our customers' future needs, a strategy that has proven successful for years.
I would now like to turn the call over to our CFO, Bryan Hackworth, who will lead us through the financial discussions. Bryan?