[opendtv] Re: Google and Apple TV
- From: Kilroy Hughes <Kilroy.Hughes@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: "opendtv@xxxxxxxxxxxxx" <opendtv@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Thu, 3 Jun 2010 19:54:41 +0000
Going head to head to head.
Just rumor of course, but a $99 set top shim would probably be as real as a $99
cell phone, only with Apple wearing the AT&T hat and holding the service
contract that amortizes the hardware. Apple is doing just fine with a closed
ecosystem and veto power over the apps that volunteers write. They also have
the guy and track record to negotiate new models for paid movie and TV content,
analogous to the music biz (but different product and model). They are good at
selling devices direct to consumer, relatively weak on cloud services, hated by
former MP3 player and phone manufacturers.
On the other hand, Google just wants to scale up their PC browser based
business, and get ads on a billion cell phones and four billion TVs using video
as one of their vectors (along with search, maps, mail, etc.). Their model is
to use "free" content in the form of Web pages, books, personal information,
user generated (or user misappropriated) YouTubish video, and "free" video like
Hulu, etc. Nearly zero content creation and licensing cost, but $billions in
ad revenue; sweet. If they can commoditize WebM video like MP3 audio, and get
iTVs, phones, PC browses to use unprotected WebM video or streaming, and sell
all the advertising, they can piddle some of the profit to internet TV, cell
phone, etc. manufacturers to make their OS and widget platform the most
attractive to build on. In the Apple model, manufacturers play the role of
doormats; Google gives them a nice feature and maybe a payoff.
The third major "head" is cable operators offering IP video access to their
subscription content on par with their QAM service to proprietary STBs
(requiring both DOCSIS and TV $ubscription$). They benefit from device and
content providers all using a standard protected video format they can safely
deliver to as many devices as possible without cutting themselves off at the
knees by allowing unprotected video to eliminate the need for cable TV
subscriptions. They currently control most of the content revenue, advertising
revenue, and last mile IP network. Hmmm; who to bet on?
Kilroy Hughes
From: opendtv-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx [mailto:opendtv-bounce@xxxxxxxxxxxxx] On
Behalf Of James Fancher
Sent: Tuesday, June 01, 2010 10:35 AM
To: opendtv@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
Subject: [opendtv] Google and Apple TV
Did I miss the discussion of this?
http://tech.spreadit.org/apple-tv-iphone-os-4-cost-99/
looks like google and apple will be going head to head for IP TV - I would say
the next phase of change in the TV market has started or is about to start
No price point for the Google TV box that I found but at $99 the apple product
will soon be hooked to my TV
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