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Samsung Snags Wozniak, Others for First "Free the TV" Developer Day
Samsung is putting some celebrity technology muscle behind its recently announced $500,000 "Free the TV Challenge," snagging Apple co-founder
Steve Wozniak to participate in a fireside chat at its first developer day in San Jose next Tues, Aug. 31st. Joining Woz at the event will be Pandora founder Tim Westergren, Geek Squad founder Robert Stephens, ESPN CTO Chuck Pagano, CNET editor at large Brian Cooley and high-level Samsung executives. Attendees will see demos and gain training on Samsung's SDK.
Samsung is making an aggressive play for new apps suited specifically for connected devices and TVs. Two weeks ago, Samsung director of content Olivier Manuel told me in an interview that Samsung believes it already has a 60% share of connected TVs which it sees having huge growth ahead. Samsung also recently began a high-profile ad campaign with the slogan, "Now there's an app for that."
The battle for TV apps is just getting underway and this fall we'll see more announcements, from Apple, with its rumored "iTV" device, Google, with its Google TV device and plenty of others. As a dominant CE provider, Samsung will be in the middle of the action.
What do you think? Post a comment now (no sign-in required).
Categories: Devices
Topics: Free the TV, Samsung
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Is Apple Planning to Pair 99-Cent TV Show Rentals With Its $99 iTV?
Bloomberg is reporting that Apple is in "advanced talks" with CBS, Disney and Fox about making available TV programs for 99-cent rental. The programs would be offered within 24 hours of when they aired and once rented, the viewing window would be just 48 hours. It's not clear whether the iTunes rental model would be targeted only to Apple's "i" devices, or if it would be more widely available. If the program deals happen, could it be that Apple is planning to pair availability of 99-cent rentals with the unveiling of its $99 iTV device at its rumored Sept. 7th keynote event?
In my earlier post, "Pondering the (Potential) Impact of Apple's New iTV Device," I speculated that the iTV device would have little impact on the pay-TV ecosystem, since major cable TV networks and pay-TV providers will resist Apple's attempts to reinvent their business models. However, I suggested that Steve Jobs could have a trick or two up his sleeve for the iTV's launch. Sure enough, 99-cent broadcast TV rentals, announced just weeks prior to the Fall TV season kickoff, would be a very good trick indeed.
Categories: Broadcasters, Devices
Topics: Apple, CBS, Disney, FOX
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Pondering the (Potential) Impact of Apple's New iTV Device
Once again it's the silly season, when rumors and pronouncements about still-shrouded-in-secrecy Apple products start flying around the Internet, often forecasting a future radically changed by another wave of Steve Jobs' magic wand. The latest Apple product in the speculative crosshairs has been dubbed "iTV," and was originally described back in May by Engadget as an "iPhone without a screen" (and a phone for that matter), that would bring the world of Apple's App Store to the big screen and would also be capable of playing some flavor of HD video. It would also carry a surprisingly low (for Apple products anyway) $99 price tag.
It's easy to see an iTV device being a volume success for Apple, though given its low price point, profit margins could be a different story. The groundwork for iTV's success has been laid by the massive success of Apple's App Store and iTunes, which would now would be inexpensively connected to the TV. The concept "apps on TV' is getting a lot of attention lately, with Samsung making a big push, and of course Google TV being primed to deliver apps from the Android Market.
Categories: Devices
Topics: ABC, Apple, Google TV, iTV, Netflix
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NY Times Gives Online Video High-Profile Coverage With Today's "Sofa Wars" Series
More evidence that online video has gone mainstream, as the NY Times is running a series today, dubbed "The Sofa Wars," includes half a dozen articles looking at online video's incursion into the living room. Included in the series are articles on cord-cutting (or the lack thereof), Sony's bet on Crackle, the range of connected devices vying for market share, the role of 3D in selling TVs and Dish Network's new online initiatives.
The Times' coverage further underscores how online video has burst into the public consciousness in the past few years. In the pre-YouTube era (before 2005), online video was still a fringe activity for people willing to hunt around for valuable video and suffer through often sub-optimal delivery quality. Now, as comScore reports each month, online video is watched by the vast majority of Internet users. It's becoming as common as sending an email. With connected devices proliferating to bring online video to TVs, what additional consumer behavior changes can we expect over the next 5 years?
What do you think? Post a comment now (no sign-in required).Categories: Devices, Indie Video, Satellite
Topics: NY Times
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5 News Items of Interest for the Week of Aug 16th
I've received positive feedback on the Friday feature I introduced 2 weeks ago, highlighting 5-6 of the most intriguing online and mobile video industry news items that I noticed during the week. As a result, I'm continuing on today and look forward to your further reactions.
As a reminder, each day in the right column of both the VideoNuze web site and email you'll find the "Exclusive News Roundup" which includes the most relevant online and mobile video industry articles that I've curated from numerous sources around the web. Typically there are 35-40 links rounded up each week, which means VideoNuze now has thousands of links available, all fully searchable. This is an invaluable resource when doing research and I encourage you to take a look next time you're hunting for a specific piece of online/mobile video information.
Now on to this week's most intriguing news:
Hulu is Said to Be Ready for an I.P.O.
The big news leading off the week was that Hulu is testing the waters for a public offering valuing the company at $2 billion. Investors beware: while ad sales are up, exclusive deals with key TV networks are short-term, subscription service Hulu Plus is still unproven and competition from Netflix and others is intensifying. If the deal works, it will be a huge milestone for the company.
Rumored $99 iTV Could Pave Way for $2,000 Apple-Connected Television
A Wall Street analyst conjectures that Apple is well-positioned to offer a high-end, connected TV. Apple has been on the sidelines as online video makes its way to the TV, surely this won't remain the case forever.
Netflix Lust for "True Blood" Is Unrequited As HBO Blocks Path
Though Netflix just landed Epix, it is unlikely to get a deal with HBO any time soon, as the big premium network is committed to its current distribution partners, and to its own online extension, HBO Go. Netflix will still find plenty of other willing partners given its strong motivation to acquire streaming content rights.
In Battle of Smartphones, Google Has the Right Answer
With Google's Android phones proliferating, the iPhone's market share is slipping. And with Android tablets coming, the iPad will soon be in the crosshairs from competitors. For mobile video this means more choices and flexibility.
Net Profits for BermanBraun
Big ad agency Starcom MediaVest commits up to a $100 million to upstart Hollywood producer for deeper brand integrations. More evidence that ad spending is moving online and in more creative ways.Categories: Advertising, Aggregators, Cable Networks, Deals & Financings, Devices, Mobile Video
Topics: Apple, BermanBraun, Google, HBO, Hulu, Netflix, Starcom MediaVest
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For Broadcast TV Networks, Google TV is Friend, Not Foe
Reading this morning's WSJ story, "Google TV Is a Tough Sell Among Would-Be Partners," you get the impression that broadcast TV networks are viewing Google TV as a potential disruptor of their business models. While the networks should take time to fully understand Google's new product, plus
assess additional work being asked of them (e.g. enhanced metadata) and how their programs will be incorporated in Google TV's UI, on the whole, broadcast TV networks should view Google TV as beneficial, not disruptive, to their digital distribution efforts.
Broadcast networks are right to be concerned about what effect viewing on any new digital device will have on their on-air business models. I've written often about my concern that the networks' web sites and Hulu's "ad-lite" approach was threatening to their on-air economics. However, more recently the networks (and likely Hulu) have been increasing their digital ad loads. ABC for one has said that digital delivery profitability is already on a par with "DVR economics" (accounting for ad-skipping by DVR households), and more ads will only further enhance digital's ROI. Certainly ABC's decision to make its programs available on the iPad is evidence that proper monetization, along with a coherent windowing approach, can yield incremental views and profits from distribution to new devices.
Categories: Broadcasters, Devices
Topics: ABC, CBS, FOX, Google TV, NBC
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Boxee and Widevine Partner for Enhanced Video Delivery
Boxee and Widevine are announcing this morning that they plan to incorporate Widevine's DRM, adaptive streaming and virtual DVD controls into
CE devices that contain Boxee's digital media software. The move gives Boxee a more complete solution to offer CE providers looking to bring both content and connectivity to their devices.
Widevine has been on a roll recently, signing deals with EchoStar, Sonic Solutions, LOVEFiLM and others in the past few months. Widevine is benefiting from an explosion of connected devices that bring online video to TVs. Consumer electronics manufacturers must ensure that video is delivered securely and complies with digital rights, and plays out in high-quality. In addition Widevine offers a "trick play" feature with progressive download that allows users to fast forward or rewind like they would with a DVD, without the annoying buffering.
Topics: Boxee, Roku, Samsung, Widevine
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Interview With Samsung Director of Content Olivier Manuel
Samsung continued its Samsung Apps branding campaign with the launch of its $500,000 "Free the TV Challenge" contest this week. The contest is aimed at incenting developers to create killer apps available on connected Samsung Blu-ray players and TVs. As I wrote recently, Samsung has begun promoting its apps with the tagline "Now there's a TV for that," a spin on Apple's, "There's an app for that." To learn more about the contest and Samsung's larger goals, I interviewed Samsung's director of content, Olivier Manuel on Wednesday. An edited transcript follows.
VideoNuze: Why create this contest, and why now?
Olivier Manuel: The reason we're running the contest now is to celebrate the fact that we're opening up our SDK, which means for the first time developers across the U.S. can download it and develop an app for Samsung connected devices. We're excited to see what kinds of new creative ideas we're going to receive from developers.
Categories: Devices
Topics: Free the TV, Samsung
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Cox Embraces Over-the-Top Video In Unique Deal With TiVo
Another day, another head-turning example of how the boundaries between traditional and over-the-top (OTT) online video distribution are blurring. This morning Cox Communications, the 3rd-largest U.S. cable operator, is
announcing that it will integrate its entire VOD library into TiVo's Premiere multi-purpose box, the first time a major cable operator has done so with a retail-only product. Cox will promote and offer free installation for Premiere which, when coupled with a CableCARD, will support Premiere as a full set-top box solution in its markets (Premiere boxes cost $300 or $500). The deal is a significant win for TiVo, which has continued to rollout clever products, but has been challenged to go beyond its traditional retail proposition.
As important, TiVo will continue to make available all of its integrated online
video offerings (e.g. Netflix, Amazon, YouTube, Break, Howcast, CNET, etc.), which means that Cox is enabling online video options to be exposed and promoted side-by-side with its own video offerings. As Jeff Klugman, TiVo's SVP/GM of Products and Revenue explained to me yesterday, TiVo's search function would allow, for example, a user searching for "30 Rock" to see results including Cox VOD listings for the current season and upcoming on-air episodes blended with prior seasons available from Netflix, Amazon or Blockbuster.
Categories: Cable TV Operators, Devices
Topics: Cox, EPIX, Netflix, Starz, TiVo
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5 News Items of Interest for the Week of Aug 2nd
In addition to producing daily original analyses focused on the evolution of the online/mobile video industry, another key element of VideoNuze is collecting and curating links to industry coverage from around the web. Each week there are typically 30-40 stories that VideoNuze aggregates in its exclusive news roundup. Many readers have come to depend on this curated news collection to ensure they're always up to speed.
Now, to take news curation up another level, on Fridays I'm going to test out highlighting 5-6 of the most intriguing news items of the week. In case you missed VideoNuze for a day or two during the week, you can check in on Friday to see the these top 5-6 industry stories of the week, some of which VideoNuze may have covered itself. Synopses and implications are noted. Enjoy and let me know your reactions!
Wired to Produce Short Films For iPad
The tech magazine recruits Will Ferrell for four short videos that lampoon inventions that failed to take off. Exclusively for its iPad app. More evidence of print pub capitalizing on video.
Motorola and Verizon team up for TV tablet
Enjoying success with its Droid smartphones, Motorola now looks to challenge the iPad, with its own tablet device, using Google's Android OS. A partnership with Verizon could mean new online video features for the phone giant's FiOS service. Another sign of evolution in the pay-TV business.
Bewkes: Rental Delays From Netflix, Redbox Is Paying Off For DVD Sales
The 28-day DVD delayed release window Warner Bros. struck with Netflix earlier this year is helping the studio gain better sales for films The Blind Side and Sherlock Holmes. The deal helps Netflix position itself as a valued partner in the midst of declining DVD sales.
Dish to stream live TV on iPad, other devices
Dish Network takes place-shifting to a new level with plans for an iPad app that would allow remote streaming, likely using its Sling technology. Subscription TV, mobile video viewing and cool devices converge.
FCC Calls Off Stakeholders Meetings
The FCC's private net neutrality negotiations are off the rails as a reported bilateral deal between Verizon and Google causes controversy. Next steps are unknown as the FCC's plan to keep Internet playing field level hits a major pothole.Categories: Devices, FIlms, Magazines, Regulation, Satellite, Telcos
Topics: DISH, FCC, iPad, Motorola, Netflix, Verizon, Warner Bros., Wired
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Roku Brings Flixster Trailers to the Big Screen
I've become a bigger fan of Flixster since downloading its Android app a couple of weeks ago to my new Droid X. It offers basically everything you
need to know about movies already released and those upcoming. So I welcomed the news late yesterday that Flixster had launched a free channel to watch movie trailers on Roku.
I've played around with the Flixster channel and though there are still some quality and formatting issues (especially for older movies), for the most part, it's a welcome addition to the Roku channel store. You can browse trailers in categories including, "Now in Theaters," "Coming Soon," "New on DVD" and "Certified Fresh" (which offers ratings by Rotten Tomatoes). You can also use your remote control to search the full database of trailers.
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VideoNuze Report Podcast #70 - July 30, 2010
Daisy Whitney and I are pleased to present the 70th edition of the VideoNuze Report podcast, for July 30, 2010.
This week Daisy first updates our podcast discussion from last week concerning the social media success of the Old Spice man campaign. Daisy cites Nielsen data that Old Spice Body Wash sales increased by 11% over the last 12 months (remember the campaign started in February around the Super Bowl). In last 3 months sales are up 55% and in the last month alone, when the campaign really caught fire, they're up 107%. Pretty dramatic results.
Daisy adds that no doubt Old Spice's success will spawn many copycats. In fact, Cisco just tried a tongue in check knockoff this week, though it didn't get much traction. Daisy makes a great point that success always starts with great creative.
We then segue to discuss my post from earlier this week, "Apple's New 27-Inch Display: Is a TV Next?" The new display showed once again how tantalizingly close Apple is to having its own high-end connected TV. In the post I suggested that Apple could offer any number of enhancements like integration with its "i" devices, access to apps and iTunes and other multi-platform features that at a minimum would make an "iTV" irresistible to Apple fans. The key issue is how to obtain the kinds of margins Apple's targets in the super-competitive TV industry. Daisy and I discuss the pros and cons. Listen in to learn more.
Click here to listen to the podcast (13 minutes, 28 seconds)
Click here for previous podcasts
The VideoNuze Report is available in iTunes...subscribe today!Categories: Devices, Social Media
Topics: Apple, Cisco, Old Spice
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Apple's New 27-Inch Display: Is a TV Next?
With Apple's unveiling yesterday of its super high-resolution 27-inch LED Cinema Display, the company is once again tantalizing the market with just how close it could be to introducing a high-end connected TV. The new 27-inch display is officially positioned to connect to Mac laptops and takes the place of existing 24-inch and 30-inch models. It comes with 2560x1440 resolution with a 16:9 glass display.
I haven't seen the product yet, but no doubt it's gorgeous. And that of course leads to the TV speculation. A few relatively simple enhancements and
repositioning spin and voila, Apple is in the TV business, with another multi-billion dollar market opportunity. The connected TV market is poised for growth, with many new TV sporting Ethernet or WiFi connections. And the market for connected devices to bring existing TVs online is exploding with choices such as Blu-ray players, gaming consoles, standalone devices, etc. priming consumers' appetites for a product from Apple.
Categories: Devices
Topics: Apple
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Steve Jobs, The Media and All Of Us
Today a slight diversion from VideoNuze's usual online/mobile video coverage, to share a few thoughts about "Antennagate" as the iPhone 4 signal loss issue has been called. If you're sick of reading anything related to Antennagate (and I don't blame you if you are) then feel free to move on now. But if you're like me, and believe that the whole Antennagate episode says far more about state of today's media than it does about Apple, then please read on.
The iPhone 4's signal issue, arising when the phone is held in a certain way has been demonstrated, and Steve Jobs completely acknowledged it right up front at Apple's press conference last Friday. However, since the start of Antennagate I've wondered just how serious it actually is? Apple's statistics, though no doubt presented with Jobs's best spin, pretty much summed up what I've suspected from the start - that Antennagate was a relatively minor issue completely blown out of proportion by the media.
Categories: Devices
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Samsung Apps for Connected TVs - "Now there's a TV for that" Ad Campaign Begins
It looks like Samsung is ramping up promotion for its Samsung Apps store for connected TVs, using the tag line "Now there's a TV for that," a play on Apple's well-known "There's an app for that" slogan. I noticed a full back-page ad in the current issue of the New Yorker (see below) and promotion will no doubt be turning up elsewhere as well.
Categories: Devices
Topics: Google TV, Samsung, Sony
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VideoNuze Report Podcast #67 - July 9, 2010
Daisy Whitney and I are pleased to present the 67th edition of the VideoNuze Report podcast, for July 9, 2010.
This week Daisy and I talk about YouTube's new "Leanback" and mobile experiences, both of which were unveiled this past Wednesday. Daisy was at YouTube's headquarters and interviewed the company's mobile product manager Andrey Doronichev. Regarding Leanback, I wrote that it looks promising, as it offers viewers a passive, continuous way to experience a personalized version of YouTube, with all their new favorite video streamed back-to-back. It also makes YouTube a more important part of the Google TV value proposition. Listen in to learn more.
Click here to listen to the podcast (15 minutes, 1 second)
Click here for previous podcasts
The VideoNuze Report is available in iTunes...subscribe today!Categories: Devices, Mobile Video
Topics: Google TV
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Clearleap and Roku Partner, Blurring Traditional Video Distribution Boundaries
Clearleap, a web-based TV technology platform, and Roku, maker of the popular digital video player, are announcing a partnership this morning that blurs the boundaries between traditional and broadband-centric video
distribution. The partnership enables incumbent Pay-TV providers to deliver premium content, including their own video-on-demand (VOD) libraries, plus supplemental online video, to their customers via Roku boxes. As a result, instead of Roku being thought of as one of the "over-the-top" disruptors of the existing video ecosystem, the Clearleap deal will help it - and other connected devices to follow - potentially find a role working with Pay-TV providers to extend their services.
For industry analysts like me, the deal is a bit of a mind-bender; when I got a sneak preview of the implementation at the Cable Show in LA last month I had to ask more than once about the context and motivations of the parties involved. I refreshed my understanding earlier this week in phone calls with Braxton Jarratt, Clearleap's CEO and co-founder, and Jim Funk, Roku's VP of Business Development.
Braxton explained that several of Clearleap's cable operator customers have acknowledged the expanding role of online video viewership (e.g. Netflix, YouTube, Amazon, MLB, etc.) via connected devices and are growing concerned that they pose a double negative: diminishing the importance of operators' own video services while also generating additional network traffic, but no incremental revenue upside (assuming the broadband user stays beneath their data cap and doesn't need to upgrade their service tier).
Categories: Cable TV Operators, Devices, Partnerships, Video On Demand
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thePlatform Unveils Support for Numerous Over-the-Top Devices
thePlatform is announcing this morning that it has integrated with numerous "over-the-top" consumer electronics devices, enabling its content customers
to more easily deliver online video to them. Devices cited are boxee, Roku, TiVo, Vudu (which includes connected TVs and Blu-ray players from LG, Mitsubishi, Samsung, Toshiba and Vizio), DivX devices, Syabas (popbox), FlingoTV and others to come (including Google TV when ready). I caught up with Marty Roberts, thePlatform's VP of Sales and Marketing yesterday to learn more.
Marty explained the impetus was thePlatform's content customers telling the company they want to generate more video views and have easy access to the range of OTT devices coming to market. While conceding that the universe of all these devices combined is still probably in the low single-digit millions, thePlatform and its content customers are betting on future growth. The move is significant as it underscores the mindshare that direct access to TVs via broadband and connected devices has gained in the content community.
Categories: Devices, Technology
Topics: Boxee, DivX, FlingoTV, Google TV, LG, Mitsubishi, Roku, Samsung, Syabas, thePlatform, TiVo, Toshiba and Vizio, VUDU
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RoxioNow Expands Retail Strategy, Licenses Platform to Sears
This morning video technology company Sonic Solutions is announcing that Sears (which also owns K-Mart), will be the latest company to license its RoxioNow platform, a customizable white-label electronic sell-through (EST) and VOD rental service delivering a large library of premium new release
studio content through a variety of connected devices. The deal shows momentum for the fledgling platform that has within the past year signed Blockbuster, Best Buy, and Boxee, while amassing a library of over 30,000 download to own and 5,000 new release studio titles.
Mark Ely, EVP of Strategy at Sonic Solutions, whom I spoke with yesterday, is excited to have another retailer on board. He believes retail stores with RoxioNow will help speed up the consumer transition to the digital medium through promotions and education. Brick and mortar stores definitely have an advantage, as it is where many consumers still go to learn about new technology before they purchase. On top of that, it gives retailers a chance to bundle in download offers as an incentive to purchase new Internet connected devices giving consumers a free taste of the platform.
Categories: Devices, Downloads, Technology
Topics: RoxioNow, Sears, Sonic Solutions
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With ESPN Partnership, Xbox Reemerges as a Convergence Competitor
Monday's ESPN-Xbox deal brings the Xbox back into view as a competitor in the Internet connected set-top box battle that has further heated up since the
Google TV announcement. Oddly, the Xbox, a device that is already in millions of homes, is often left out of the convergence conversation. To me it seems like a sleeping giant, with many early advantages that should put it squarely on the connected STB map.
The Xbox, as a gaming device primarily, clears the hurdle many set-top boxes stumble over - getting people to buy an additional box. Gaming has allowed it to build a user base of early adopters who are eager to consume online video. Its controller is an easy to operate wireless gamepad, great for navigating screens and menus quickly. In addition, the gamepad has an attachable keyboard the size of a mobile device for easy searching of vast libraries of content.
Categories: Cable Networks, Devices, Games
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