Panasonic has today announced the availability of direct billing functionality for its VIERA Connect Market in the UK. The first of its kind in Europe, this addition allows users of the cloud-based VIERA Connect service to purchase applications and physical products easily and securely, directly through their TV.

Panasonic is currently the only Smart TV manufacturer to offer direct billing, which is set to revolutionise online shopping. This brand new, unique consumer experience will give VIERA Connect users the possibility to purchase apps directly through their TV in addition to the existing wide range of premium applications within seven main categories: videos, music, sports, social networking, news and lifestyle, health and fitness, and games.

Furthermore, users will also be able, for the first time, to purchase physical products that will enhance the VIERA Connect experience. These products include Panasonic 3D glasses, a Wireless LAN Adaptor, a Skype™ camera, and a wide range of Logitech® accessories which are fully compatible with VIERA TVs - including gamepads, keyboards and more.

Fabrice Estornel, Senior Manager of Consumer TV at Panasonic UK: “At Panasonic we want to ensure that our Smart TV users have easy access to the most innovative applications available. By providing direct billing functionality, the consumer experience has been streamlined and the TV has been reinforced as the entertainment hub for all homes”.

E-Commerce support for the VIERA Connect Market will be provided by Digital River, a leading provider of global e-commerce solutions. Tom Donnelly, president and COO of Digital River commented: “We’ve drawn on our global e-commerce experience, industry best practices and cloud-based technology to offer VIERA Connect Market users across Europe the convenience of making purchases from the comfort of their living rooms”. Today, Digital River manages online businesses and cross border e-sales for thousands of companies around the world.

Direct billing functionality presents a new opportunity for application developers too. Having successfully launched the VIERA Connect Developers’ portal (http://developer.vieraconnect.com) earlier in the year - through which developers can create their own applications for VIERA Connect - application developers are now able to produce and sell their own premium applications to users via VIERA Connect Market. This ensures that consumers will enjoy access to an increasingly wide range of applications and physical products via their TV screen.

The VIERA Connect Market with billing functionality is only available to users in Europe that have purchased Panasonic’s 2011 range of VIERA TVs*.

*Compatible models are the Plasma VT30, GT30, ST30, UT30, G30, S30 series and LCD DT35. DT30, D35, and E30 series.