It'll be interesting to see how this pans out. The fact that they aren't offering any integration with current movie download services yet seems to be the key reason why Apple shouldn't be too concerned.
Remember the success of iPod is largely down to the iPod + iTunes integrated system. Similarly, iTV may enjoy more success than TiVo (as far as downloaded content goes) because most people can't be bothered finding video and dragging it around folders and searching for it; they just want it there.
Hopefully this might encourage Apple to consider PVR abilities for iTV (although as far as we know, that could be on the horizon anyway).
Sure Tivo is big, but lets face it, front row, especially the iTV version, the interface rocks.
And people wont be buying it becuase its better than TV (If it doesnt have an intergrated tuner, its not), they buy it becuase it has an apple logo on top, and all that implies.
front row, especially the iTV version, the interface rocks.
Unless you work for Apple, I'm taking your comments at face value. We don't know what the actual iTV interface will look like. More importantly, TiVo's pushing forward will force Apple to refine the concept and execution of iTV or face obsolescence even prior to release. This is a good thing.
I think instead of Apple always trying to compete, it would be nice to see them make more partners. Instead of iTV, they could have tried to partner up with TiVo so that TiVo users could access the itunes music store. TiVo might also have been modified to have an ipod dock so that videos could be watched off the ipod video or TiVo movies transferred to it so that you could watch your TV shows on the go.
I don't know about iTV's features but if it's just a device that lets you access stuff on your Mac wirelessly then it is way overpriced. Plus if your wireless is a bit dodgy then it becomes useless. I can see the requirements on the box: you must own a Mac (minimum cost £400). If it was a DVR box too with DVD player then people would probably still buy it even if they didn't own a Mac.
I don't really thin any of this directly impacts Apple or iTV. TiVo is attempting to continue to increase the features in its hardware to justify the need to buy their hardware. Hardware is ubiquitous and mostly nothing special, TiVo's real innovation is in its software but they feel the need to continue and support a risky hardware business model.
Apple is better at having a singular vision for its products. Which enables them to preform their function better than other products that attempt to be a jack-of-all-trades.
Tivo IMO is already better than iTV. I just don't like iTV, the way they did it, or what they are attempting to gravitate towards. I think NOw with more TV gadgetry becoming available, especially iTV, and the Slingbox, and the PS3 (which has slingbox like features to your PSP) . Tivo is going to get a lot bigger because they offer a much better all around experience than iTV.
The danger with Apple is their ideology of movie/TV consumption.
It's far easier to buy into bundled content from Cable Ops and Satellites than constantly
logging into iTunes and downloading content A la carte. I'm sorry but I'm not drinking the Apple
Koolaid on this one.
I like iTV for playing enough content that I'll likely have on my Mac but Tivo is still the king of DVR interfaces and despite the growing trend of the company to "suck" regarding consumer rights I see them doing fine for the foreseeable future.
This is a logical move for TiVo, since they are losing a ton of ground in the DVR marketspace. Unfortunately, I actually don't think they have the brand power to make this work.
iTV sounds like a great idea, just like the Apple HiFi... Oh wait, that's right, that was a shitty idea. Just like the iTV. As someone else said, they should have just partnered with TiVo. This will bomb. I wonder if they are still producing the HiFi? I wonder how many of those are selling?
It's far easier to buy into bundled content from Cable Ops and Satellites than constantly
logging into iTunes and downloading content A la carte. I'm sorry but I'm not drinking the Apple Koolaid on this one.
The two are quite different though. You can only watch from Cable/Sat what they offer. You can load any media content you choose into iTunes which you should be able to stream to iTV.
I agree though that iTV walks a tight line of success and failure. Depending on how open Apple allows it to be in its functionality.
Quote:
iTV sounds like a great idea, just like the Apple HiFi... Oh wait, that's right, that was a shitty idea. Just like the iTV
iTV and the HiFi are not analogous. iTV is Video Air Tunes.
If Apple actually made a TV that would be analogous to the HiFi.
Tivo is going to get a lot bigger because they offer a much better all around experience than iTV.
Isn't that as premature as saying iTV will dominate? Hard to say what the iTV experience will be. The guess is like the iPod experience in which case I'd say that given there is NOT a market leader in the space Apple has an opportunity to build the same kind of dominance.
Nothing is guaranteed and iTV could fail miserably. But Apple is executing well and has deep pockets and decent industry access.
Besides, I ain't spending $699 on a Series 3 TiVO then $12 a month + cablecard fee for a DVR I can rent from Comcast or Verizon for $10 a month that has better integration with VOD and PPV services. The only way TiVO is gaining share is from the lawsuit scaring cable operators into licensing their software.
iTV is a IPTV kind of device. TiVO is going to try to make the DVR kinda like that but eh...once you have enough bandwidth you don't need the DVR portion. If you want a local copy a NAS is cheaper than a DVR on a cost per megabyte basis.
Comments
Remember the success of iPod is largely down to the iPod + iTunes integrated system. Similarly, iTV may enjoy more success than TiVo (as far as downloaded content goes) because most people can't be bothered finding video and dragging it around folders and searching for it; they just want it there.
Hopefully this might encourage Apple to consider PVR abilities for iTV (although as far as we know, that could be on the horizon anyway).
Sure Tivo is big, but lets face it, front row, especially the iTV version, the interface rocks.
And people wont be buying it becuase its better than TV (If it doesnt have an intergrated tuner, its not), they buy it becuase it has an apple logo on top, and all that implies.
front row, especially the iTV version, the interface rocks.
Unless you work for Apple, I'm taking your comments at face value. We don't know what the actual iTV interface will look like. More importantly, TiVo's pushing forward will force Apple to refine the concept and execution of iTV or face obsolescence even prior to release. This is a good thing.
I don't know about iTV's features but if it's just a device that lets you access stuff on your Mac wirelessly then it is way overpriced. Plus if your wireless is a bit dodgy then it becomes useless. I can see the requirements on the box: you must own a Mac (minimum cost £400). If it was a DVR box too with DVD player then people would probably still buy it even if they didn't own a Mac.
APPLE + GOOGLE + YOUTUBE = $$$$$$$$$$
Apple is better at having a singular vision for its products. Which enables them to preform their function better than other products that attempt to be a jack-of-all-trades.
It's far easier to buy into bundled content from Cable Ops and Satellites than constantly
logging into iTunes and downloading content A la carte. I'm sorry but I'm not drinking the Apple
Koolaid on this one.
I like iTV for playing enough content that I'll likely have on my Mac but Tivo is still the king of DVR interfaces and despite the growing trend of the company to "suck" regarding consumer rights I see them doing fine for the foreseeable future.
It's far easier to buy into bundled content from Cable Ops and Satellites than constantly
logging into iTunes and downloading content A la carte. I'm sorry but I'm not drinking the Apple Koolaid on this one.
The two are quite different though. You can only watch from Cable/Sat what they offer. You can load any media content you choose into iTunes which you should be able to stream to iTV.
I agree though that iTV walks a tight line of success and failure. Depending on how open Apple allows it to be in its functionality.
iTV sounds like a great idea, just like the Apple HiFi... Oh wait, that's right, that was a shitty idea. Just like the iTV
iTV and the HiFi are not analogous. iTV is Video Air Tunes.
If Apple actually made a TV that would be analogous to the HiFi.
iTV and the HiFi are not analogous. iTV is Video Air Tunes.
If Apple actually made a TV that would be analogous to the HiFi.
His point was this: both iTV and HiFi are/were dumb ideas.
His point was this: both iTV and HiFi are/were dumb ideas.
Exactly how are they dumb?
Air Tunes was a good idea and iTV covers all media.
Attaching your iPod to an amplified speaker is an entire industry. Why should Apple not get in on it.
Tivo is going to get a lot bigger because they offer a much better all around experience than iTV.
Isn't that as premature as saying iTV will dominate? Hard to say what the iTV experience will be. The guess is like the iPod experience in which case I'd say that given there is NOT a market leader in the space Apple has an opportunity to build the same kind of dominance.
Nothing is guaranteed and iTV could fail miserably. But Apple is executing well and has deep pockets and decent industry access.
Besides, I ain't spending $699 on a Series 3 TiVO then $12 a month + cablecard fee for a DVR I can rent from Comcast or Verizon for $10 a month that has better integration with VOD and PPV services. The only way TiVO is gaining share is from the lawsuit scaring cable operators into licensing their software.
iTV is a IPTV kind of device. TiVO is going to try to make the DVR kinda like that but eh...once you have enough bandwidth you don't need the DVR portion. If you want a local copy a NAS is cheaper than a DVR on a cost per megabyte basis.
Vinea