television (Photo credit: jeevs)
How many more players are going to join the TV revolution? As now, we know Google, Apple, Microsoft, and other players are trying to tear down the old and introduce the new TV experience to the mass. It’s all about how to unplug consumers from Cable and plug ‘em into the Internet pipe. Why would they and the consumers want everything, from phone to TV, to be plugged into the Internet pipe? I guess the consumers demand and so they give ‘em. After all, the Internet isn’t just more hip and compatible with the time, but consumers can make wiser choices and have more control with their programs.
It’s about on demand yo! On demand is definitely easier and more hip when consumers plug into the Internet, and so Cable will have to go the way of the dinosaurs. Netflix is superb example of how on demand would work. Instead of dictating when a content consumer should view a program, Netflix aired a complete first season of House of Cards show at once, so everyone could watch this all at one go. Of course, whoever has all the time in the world will be able to watch the whole show at one go with few breaks in between, but most people have jobs and other pleasures to tend to, and so they will have to make their own time to enjoy Netflix’s House of Cards. The big difference between Netflix’s House of Cards content viewing experience and Cable is that content consumers are in the driver seat for program choices and schedules.
A new player who has just joined the TV revolution is now Intel. According to The Verge’s “Intel confirms its Internet TV will launch this year, complete with set-top box and a camera” article, Intel will launch Internet TV which comes with hardware that even has camera. The camera can be turned off at will, but if you leave it on it will watch you watch whatever that you watch… it’s a little creepy in my opinion. The Verge suggests that Intel will be able to make a wiser choice of showing what commercials and to suggest what shows to the TV audiences if the camera is on. In my living room? Sigh… I don’t mind the camera watch me doing my things in the public space, but in my living room is just creepy. I prefer a little more privacy when I enjoy my time in my own living room…
I think the TV revolution is about to be cranked up even more. It’s the trend yo! I like where this trend is taking us, but I think there will be things that will be discarded into the forgotten pits. Through trial and error process, the TV revolution will reward the sensible features. For an example, I don’t think that many people will appreciate being watched by a camera as they watch their favorite shows in the living room. Features like this will definitely be thrown into the forgotten pits when the TV revolution (of this time) becomes the norm.
I think the TV revolution (of this time) is more about the experience and less of marketing gimmicks. How come? There aren’t that many choices for the publishers and marketers when it comes down to how to dictate what will be the ultimate TV experience in the Internet age. After all, the TV audiences have plenty of choices to tap into for their content viewing pleasure from the Internet itself. It’s like the TV revolution has to compete with the medium that hosts it. It competes against the Internet and yet the Internet will be the medium which hosts this Internet TV thingy. The trick is to make Internet TV the tube to go to for all TV and video content viewing pleasures… The trick is to beat YouTube?
Sources:
