Disney executive praises potential of Apple iPad

Posted:
in Current Mac Hardware edited January 2014
Calling the iPad a "game changer," Walt Disney Chief Executive Bob Iger revealed Tuesday that his company has big plans for Apple's device, including interactive TV, games, applications and comic books.



Iger's comments came during the Walt Disney Co. quarterly earnings conference call Tuesday. He suggested the company could build an iPad application around the popular ABC show "Lost" that would allow users to interact with the program and learn more information as they watch it.



He also said new ABC News and ESPN Score Center applications would be coming to the iPad, with an emphasis on giving users a new way to view with their content. He noted the existing ESPN application provides "rudimentary information" on scores, but the iPad version could become something much more.



"We find that iPad has a lot of potential," Iger said. "We think it?s a really compelling device. We think it could be a game changer in terms of enabling us to create essentially new forms of content. Obviously it will be a great device to play games on and to watch videos because of the clarity of the screen.



"But the interactivity that it will allow on a portable device with such a high quality screen is going to enable us to really start developing products that are different than the product that you typically see on an Internet-connected computer, or on a television set."



That Disney plans to support the iPad should come as no surprise -- Apple co-founder Steve Jobs is the single largest shareholder of stock in the Walt Disney Co. But Iger's comments do provide a clue as to what kind of content and new applications major developers could bring to Apple's new multimedia device.



The CEO also revealed that Disney's digital revenues topped $2 billion in 2009. He expects the number to be even larger in 2010, thanks, in part, to the iPad.



He said that previously Disney was emphasizing e-books on computers screens, and the company had recently started to focus on expanding those titles to the iPhone and the iPod touch. But the iPad and its iBookstore will provide a new and different opportunity for the company to explore that market.



"Suddenly this device comes along and provides us with an even more robust technological platform, that makes the interactivity that we are going to provide -- things like read along simple animation music -- to just sort of come to life," Iger said.



He also revealed that Disney is working on casual games for the iPad, and that it would release comic books from Marvel on the device.



Apple has reportedly been in talks with TV networks for months to offer a subscription TV plan. Disney -- which owns ABC, Disney Channel and the ABC Family networks -- has reportedly shown interest in the idea, but others have not. While networks were allegedly briefed on the tablet prior to its release, as a potential way to watch TV content, a TV subscription plan was not revealed when the iPad was unveiled in late January.
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 77
    MacProMacPro Posts: 19,822member
    That's a shock LOL.



    Seriously though it will be cool for their material I am sure.
  • Reply 2 of 77
    Its a big deal when a company like disney is publicly endorsing your product.
  • Reply 3 of 77
    I understand the Jobs'/Disney connection and so Iger should/would be positive and therefore come across as 'forward' thinking!



    But don't the other movie exec's, TV network exec's and publishing execs seem ponderous and shortsighted when it comes to Apple's iPad?



    -More foreskin, than foresight!
  • Reply 4 of 77
    igeniusigenius Posts: 1,240member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by digitalclips View Post


    That's a shock LOL.



    Seriously though it will be cool for their material I am sure.



    Will they make their reruns available on Apple devices? Currently they use flash, and you can't use an iDevice to watch them.
  • Reply 5 of 77
    In a couple of other threads, people were complaining that since the iPad didn't have flash, they couldn't play Disney games.



    Guess that concern is over.



    More and more sites are moving away from Flash; Disney is huge.
  • Reply 6 of 77
    bageljoeybageljoey Posts: 2,008member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by zindako View Post


    Its a big deal when a company like disney is publicly endorsing your product.



    I agree. Jobs was thinking ahead when he bought Disney...

  • Reply 7 of 77
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by Bageljoey View Post


    I agree. Jobs was thinking ahead when he bought Disney...





    Agreed and it started with him buying Pixar for $10,000,000 during the time he was dismissed from Apple for 15 years! I think I have the numbers right there!



    Could you imagine his feelings of humiliation and betrayal?...knowing what he knew he could do. With Apple that is, he was not very involved with Pixar. Except he was very involved in setting the price of Pixar's IPO. Everybody involved wanted a lower price but he stuck to his guns and got it.
  • Reply 8 of 77
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by AppleInsider View Post


    It it would release comic books from Marvel on the device.



    First killer app?
  • Reply 9 of 77
    irelandireland Posts: 17,799member
    I can see this iPad being a surprise hit.
  • Reply 10 of 77
    The way I see it is it's becoming more of a content platform and less of a computer.
  • Reply 11 of 77
    Jobs is the largest shareholder in Disney so why is this news? PUH_LEEZE!
  • Reply 12 of 77
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by JustReelFilms View Post


    The way I see it is it's becoming more of a content platform and less of a computer.



    No kidding- Its just a big iPod.
  • Reply 13 of 77
    ...the Microsoft of entertainment. As an indicator of iPad's potential cultural influence, this is not promising.



    Alas, I am such a cynic that the notion the iPad might create new and inventive outlets for truly novel creativity scarcely registers. It will be a moneymaking media machine for big corporations, mostly. Or so I fear.



    Still, it looks really cool.
  • Reply 14 of 77
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by JustReelFilms View Post


    The way I see it is it's becoming more of a content platform and less of a computer.



    Honestly, "becoming"? That's all it ever was intended to be! It is NOT meant to be a computer, at least not as most people myopically define a "computer" to be.



    this is just the start...this is what i envisioned the day ipad was revealed. many more companies will start to see the potential for this device and their embracing it will drive sales beyond what even the most optimistic forecaster would dare prognosticate.



    This is a wave I want to ride...got to hit the iPhone development tutorials then download the SDK and develop some ipad apps! peace!
  • Reply 15 of 77
    backtomacbacktomac Posts: 4,579member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by JustReelFilms View Post


    The way I see it is it's becoming more of a content platform and less of a computer.



    Its an ultra thin mobile client.
  • Reply 16 of 77
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by columbus View Post


    First killer app?



    A $500 comic book reader? You actually think that's a good thing? What is this Hammacher Schlemmer?
  • Reply 17 of 77
    stuffestuffe Posts: 394member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by columbus View Post


    First killer app?



    You can already get Marvel stuff via various iPhone apps, and PanelFly have got plans for what looks like an amazing comic reader with Marvel material available to buy in-app on the iPad.



    http://panelfly.com/ipad/
  • Reply 18 of 77
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by stuffe View Post


    You can already get Marvel stuff via various iPhone apps, and PanelFly have got plans for what looks like an amazing comic reader with Marvel material available to buy in-app on the iPad.



    http://panelfly.com/ipad/



    Marvel should make a bundle from this I agree.
  • Reply 19 of 77
    stuffestuffe Posts: 394member
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by TEKSTUD View Post


    Or just buy the damn CDRom for crying out loud!



    Easy Tiger. And after buying it, should I just put it in the iPads optical drive then?



    EDIT: Nifty edit TEKSTUD, but not quick enough
  • Reply 20 of 77
    Quote:
    Originally Posted by xSamplex View Post


    ...the Microsoft of entertainment. As an indicator of iPad's potential cultural influence, this is not promising.



    Alas, I am such a cynic that the notion the iPad might create new and inventive outlets for truly novel creativity scarcely registers. It will be a moneymaking media machine for big corporations, mostly. Or so I fear.



    Still, it looks really cool.



    Good points, but I think Apple has really unleashed the 'creativity' of the developers, witness the iPhone, from pocket universe, redlaser, Anti-Mosquito, urbanspoon, etc., etc. And with the iPad's greater screen real estate it will give them a bigger canvas. I think we all will be pleasantly surprised by its capabilities. I'm not into comic books, or games or tv shows which I find mostly silly-Soprano's was good though. But I do like movies, music, books, magazines, the internet, etc.
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