Vizio competing with Apple
http://www.engadget.com/2011/01/03/v...veals-via-plu/
http://www.engadget.com/2011/01/04/o...r-tvs-tablets/
http://www.vizio.com/news/VizioExtendsBattlePlan/
It appears that Vizio (yes that Vizio, the budget TV maker) has decided to compete with Apple. They're attempting to copy the ecosystem and beat them to the punch in one respect: by offering an integrated TV solution before they do.
I expect Apple to eventually make an integrated smart TV, but not this year. However given this kind of competition who knows.
This is interesting to me. A TV maker has decided to try and expand it's business by going into cell phones and computers, and make them work together and compliment each other. They're kinda approaching this like Apple might but from the other end.
I have to wonder if they see this threat coming. We expect Google, MS and the usual suspects to be the companies they need to watch out for, not a budget TV maker trying to reinvent itself. I personally wouldn't be too dismissive of this. Real competition tends to come from unexpected sources and directions.
http://www.engadget.com/2011/01/04/o...r-tvs-tablets/
http://www.vizio.com/news/VizioExtendsBattlePlan/
It appears that Vizio (yes that Vizio, the budget TV maker) has decided to compete with Apple. They're attempting to copy the ecosystem and beat them to the punch in one respect: by offering an integrated TV solution before they do.
I expect Apple to eventually make an integrated smart TV, but not this year. However given this kind of competition who knows.
This is interesting to me. A TV maker has decided to try and expand it's business by going into cell phones and computers, and make them work together and compliment each other. They're kinda approaching this like Apple might but from the other end.
I have to wonder if they see this threat coming. We expect Google, MS and the usual suspects to be the companies they need to watch out for, not a budget TV maker trying to reinvent itself. I personally wouldn't be too dismissive of this. Real competition tends to come from unexpected sources and directions.
Comments
It appears that Vizio (yes that Vizio, the budget TV maker) has decided to compete with Apple. They're attempting to copy the ecosystem and beat them to the punch in one respect: by offering an integrated TV solution before they do.
Given that Apple isn't ever going to do that, I'd say Vizio's in the clear.
Given that Apple isn't ever going to do that
How do you figure they never will?
Steve is already hobnobbing with Oprah.
I expect Apple to eventually make an integrated smart TV, but not this year. However given this kind of competition who knows.
Vizio being a budget brand means budget quality. Apple would only enter the TV market if they could better the quality and they can't do that. They'd be going up against Sony and LG and using components bought from them to compete with them. That market is saturated to the point where it won't be profitable to get into.
Vizio have made a smart move bundling OnLive support with their products. That system will be huge because you can just sit in front of the TV and play a new game demo instantly. It will be the Netflix of gaming.
I was expecting Apple to add support in the new ATV but OnLive hasn't been launched worldwide yet. Europe will probably come this year and I'd expect more titles.
Anyway, Apple do their own thing. A budget PC maker won't even reach the edges of their radar until they hit a staggeringly high volume. I don't see Vizio ever pulling that off.
Vizio being a budget brand means budget quality. Apple would only enter the TV market if they could better the quality and they can't do that. They'd be going up against Sony and LG and using components bought from them to compete with them. That market is saturated to the point where it won't be profitable to get into.
You could've said the same thing about the smart phone market in 2005 or the mp3 player market in 2000. Clearly that wasn't true.
Vizio have made a smart move bundling OnLive support with their products. That system will be huge because you can just sit in front of the TV and play a new game demo instantly. It will be the Netflix of gaming.
That's what needs to be realized about this: those things are apps. Netflix, Onlive, just apps! It's a bit primitive at the moment, since they're embedded and not downloadable from a market, but the basic idea is there to make a proper integrated, smart TV.
Yes they're using GoogleTV as the software foundation, but avoiding some of the GoogleTV mistakes. They're making their own UI for it based on a list of apps, rather than a jumbled menu system. They're making the tablet/smartphone the remote, rather than a keyboard. These are improvements that Apple is likely to also pursue (has been pursuing with iPad/iPhone + ATV).
What Apple isn't doing is making the set, but they will. The reason is clear too... you can't put Facetime on an ATV box, you need to put it on the TV. And this will be the only real way for them to get a handle on a unified UI, control of the hardware, app store and simplified structure where the TV is at the heart of it. After the smartphone, mp3 player and tablet, the TV is the last place for Apple to conquer in post-PC devices and grow their business. All of these post-PC devices are a potential PC replacement for many end users, functionally a stealth way for Apple to beat Windows.
Anyway, Apple do their own thing. A budget PC maker won't even reach the edges of their radar until they hit a staggeringly high volume. I don't see Vizio ever pulling that off.
The thing Vizio has against them at the moment is this announcement is just an announcement, with no real signs yet of shipping product. No statements of price or exact features. How many units will they be able to produce? What sort of actual retail reach will they have? It's all unknown right now, so this announcement may be little more than their attempt at FUD.
But if they can continue to keep their prices low and reach a mass market, that's their upside. They may change and improve their brand as a company if they pull this off. They may be more likely to do this successfully because they already have a retail presence in TV's. Who knows right? I still think it will be interesting to watch them and see how far they get.
It was clear from their press release that they have their sights set squarely on Apple.
How do you figure they never will?
Steve is already hobnobbing with Oprah.
Does Oprah make her own televisions with hardware for Apple TV-like functionality in them?
Then what does it have to do with this?
You could've said the same thing about the smart phone market in 2005 or the mp3 player market in 2000. Clearly that wasn't true.
The smartphone market was different. There was a clear need to overhaul those devices and the whole software side. With the TV, it's not quite the same. People use the TV to consume content, there's nothing lacking right now besides content sources. That's not something Apple can solve.
You may say that apps are the way to solve this but it only works when the providers play along. It's clear from the Google TV that they don't want to. Same with iTunes to some extent.
What Apple isn't doing is making the set, but they will. The reason is clear too... you can't put Facetime on an ATV box, you need to put it on the TV.
You can put it on the ATV or better yet the iPad. On a TV, a webcam frame is 80% made up from the room you are in and 20% you. Even in the E3 staged demo, the people take up way too little of the frame:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QBsTimrYTIQ
There is no reason for Apple to try selling high volume, low profit TVs to an over-saturated market when they can sell an inexpensive add-on that give you all the functionality you need.