CBS brings full-episode streaming to Apple's iPad, iPhone with new app
iPad and iPhone owners will soon be getting access to hit shows like NCIS, CSI, and How I Met Your Mother, as CBS announced on Thursday the launch of its new app for iOS with full-episode streaming.
The new CBS app lets users stream full episodes of daytime and late-night shows within 24 hours of their airing. New episodes of primetime television programs will be available for streaming on the eighth day after broadcast.
The app will by the start of the Fall TV season, integrate with the existing CBS Connect App, allowing users to take advantage of the iPad or iPhone as a second-screen device. The app will have integrated social feeds, live events where fans can engage directly with talent, and content synched to live broadcast shows.
CBS will also roll out similar full-streaming apps for "all major mobile and tablet platforms later this year," including Android and Windows 8.
Bringing full-episode streaming, even in the limited form in which it exists in the new app, is a considerable step for CBS, which has usually been reluctant to move its programming away from its traditional broadcast television setting. Speaking on the new app's release, CBS CEO Leslie Moonves said the company had been cautious to step forward onto mobile devices while protecting its home turf.
"We have been methodically and strategically finding new ways to satiate the appetite for our content on new platforms, while tapping into the tremendous revenue provided by doing so," said Moonves. "Our announcement today achieves both of these objectives, while protecting our very healthy current ecosystem. In addition, by making our shows available on all the leading mobile devices out there, we are confident we will bring a whole new set of viewers to the CBS Television Network and build upon our standing as the #1 network in the business."
The new app is available as a free download in the iTunes App Store. The 20.6MB app is compatible with iDevices running iOS 5.0 or later.
The new CBS app lets users stream full episodes of daytime and late-night shows within 24 hours of their airing. New episodes of primetime television programs will be available for streaming on the eighth day after broadcast.
The app will by the start of the Fall TV season, integrate with the existing CBS Connect App, allowing users to take advantage of the iPad or iPhone as a second-screen device. The app will have integrated social feeds, live events where fans can engage directly with talent, and content synched to live broadcast shows.
CBS will also roll out similar full-streaming apps for "all major mobile and tablet platforms later this year," including Android and Windows 8.
Bringing full-episode streaming, even in the limited form in which it exists in the new app, is a considerable step for CBS, which has usually been reluctant to move its programming away from its traditional broadcast television setting. Speaking on the new app's release, CBS CEO Leslie Moonves said the company had been cautious to step forward onto mobile devices while protecting its home turf.
"We have been methodically and strategically finding new ways to satiate the appetite for our content on new platforms, while tapping into the tremendous revenue provided by doing so," said Moonves. "Our announcement today achieves both of these objectives, while protecting our very healthy current ecosystem. In addition, by making our shows available on all the leading mobile devices out there, we are confident we will bring a whole new set of viewers to the CBS Television Network and build upon our standing as the #1 network in the business."
The new app is available as a free download in the iTunes App Store. The 20.6MB app is compatible with iDevices running iOS 5.0 or later.
Comments
That it can sync to a playback of the show based on the audio is rather awesome. Far better than another where you apoarently have to be following the show in real time.
Maybe, just maybe, this is what Apple needs to work on first.
Get all the deals signed, get the iCloud infrastructure in place.
Then unveil the solution. All-software on iPad, iPhone, iPod touch, Mac.
The final step, if Apple ever wants to do it, would be the TV set.
And it would probably just be a 55" Thunderbolt Display.
Connected to a slightly upgraded Apple TV box.
IMHO.
Correct, URMK!
The real nut to crack will be sports, e.g., Formula One!
I like it! Can't wait!
In Canada and elsewhere for now we're SOL. From the app...
"limited to United States and its territories"
They totally miss the whole point as usual when they only make it available 8 days later. When will these guys realise that people are actually willing to pay, but only if they are on the same terms as those still using old-school cable?
It boggles the mind how many copies of whatever the latest movie is for example, could be sold if it were available on iTunes the same day as it's in the theatres. I must know at least a dozen folks just personally who torrent stuff simply because of this time gap, who are otherwise law abiding citizens and who would actually like to *stop* torrenting stuff.
Well, that's just your crap opinion.
Quote:
Originally Posted by SockRolid
Wow. It "just works." And the app-ification of TV continues.
Maybe, just maybe, this is what Apple needs to work on first.
Get all the deals signed, get the iCloud infrastructure in place.
Then unveil the solution. All-software on iPad, iPhone, iPod touch, Mac.
The final step, if Apple ever wants to do it, would be the TV set.
And it would probably just be a 55" Thunderbolt Display.
Connected to a slightly upgraded Apple TV box.
IMHO.
I'd buy it!
Quote:
Originally Posted by melgross
The only thing that's really annoying is that it doesn't (yet) include a full season, just the current, and last episode on some shows (Elementary, for example). I prefer the way ABC does it, with all previous seasons.
Yes that teensy moving window is annoyiong, why not just add them on to an ever growing list even if for only the current season?
Maybe has to do with deals with NetFlix or somebody?
Who knows? Since ABC, and others can do it, I suppose it's just CBS, deciding that it would affect their bottom line in some way. With older seasons, possibly it's a matter reruns. But, this is much better than the SyFy channel's app. We can only get clips there, and with the strange, and continually changing schedules, we really need whole shows. I've missed quite a lot of stuff. Well, Apple gets me buying the old shows when they appear that way, but I'm sure that has nothing to do with it. My wife will watch shows on the computer from the channel web sites, but the quality sucks, so I won't do that.
What terms are those?
Why?
Indeed; why? Some broadcasting company upgrades their iOS app. Happens all the time.
F1 would be awesome, I'd love the BBC coverage of that on an app for Apple TV / iOS here in the USA. Although I haven't seen the BBC coverage since I left UK 22 years ago ... so maybe they don't do it anymore.
As a huge Netflix on Apple TV fan I agree with you. I won't even consider watching a series unless they start with season 1 and have everything available from that point on. The down side for Netflix is obviously they last show is several years behind live TV. I'd love to have them do a deal to be bang up to date even if that was only available at a an increase in price. They could offer either an over all increase to the monthly fee for this on all shows they had this for or a lower amount to add a la carte series to gain latest seasons of selected series.
Meanwhile as Netflix are willing to plough money into their own productions now, I'd love them to consider funding series that were cancelled early. Perhaps use a system to see what is most wanted i.e. that fans vote to be extended in sufficient numbers, perhaps even with a donation or fee. Legend of the Seeker, Firefly(although Josh already said no to that I gather), Caprica .. and so on ....
Originally Posted by c4rlob
This is a huge indicator that a Comcast HDTV is on its way soon.
THIS makes more sense than anything involving Apple, and it still doesn't make any sense.
Oh, wait, they bought NBC, didn't they? Still, makes as much sense.