Once again, we are are looking at another major shift in the media industry. Remember when music companies said they would never lose control of the marketplace and the idea of people downloading music was a pipe dream? Well, I know people who have never even purchased music in physical form (i.e. LP, cassette, CD, DVD). This is amazing to me…BUT we are here to talk about the new television.
The big broadcasting companies should be worried and the content makers should be taking cues from the music industry. The concept of web TV did not work out the first time around in 1999, but that was due to a lack of understanding on how people wanted to use web TV and a giant keyboard with a cord and built in mouse was NOT it. It seems that those issues have been resolved and we are now seeing some big changes in the home video market.
Similar to how Tower Records, Sam the Record Man, and HMV have disappeared, so have the Blockbuster’s and Jumbo Video’s of the world. Cable companies are working hard to come up with something that will keep us tied to them for a while longer, but companies like Boxee, Google TV, Netflix, Hulu, Joost, etc. put the concept of cable and even the PVR in trouble. With the advent of boxes like Apple TV and Western Digital’s set-top box, we can now get shows on demand from the web – where and when we want them.
The wild west of video content has not been won just yet, but the game is afoot. It was announced this year that all new Sony and Toshiba TV’s would come with Internet connectability. What does it all mean for you? Well, Netflix is saying viewers will have access to better shows and movies whenever they want for under $10 a month. What others are saying is you will now be able to mix your social, video, and gaming experiences into one and it will finally be personalized. The living room is one of the last frontiers, but with offers like these, we are seeing the uptake come pretty quickly. When was the last time you went to a video store?
I am guessing your next question might be what does is have to do with the web? We are witnessing a huge impact on online interaction with the integration of web video and social media. The mobility of content is also becoming a factor for many projects. The living room experience has made the jump to other devices and this is now building expectations for it. The idea of using a tablet device to control and interact with the big screen (notice I say big screen, not TV here) in the living room is a real thing. You can expect that the TV will become a central device for all interactions that are currently passive engagements in the home. On a side note, you can bet the form factor will change. Embedded screens are a thing of the future and will be a part of all of our utilities and devices. These screens are too big and dominate too much space in our homes to remain the same.
With Google going hard into TV and advertising, it is no wonder we are seeing innovation in this area. I think we can expect other companies with a lot of personalized data about us getting into the TV game. Think Facebook meets PVR/on-demand TV.
Check out this infographic survey we came across on Lab42.com that illustrates how Americans are watching TV.
What are you waiting for? Consider looking into competitive products to the old TiVo and PVR. Why are you paying for content you don’t watch?
Things you should know:
www.plex.com Use an old computer and hook it up to your flat screen – you’ll be amazed!
Your game consoles (Wii, Xbox, Playstation, etc.) all allow you to buy movies from Netflix.
Skip to sharing