First Impressions Of The New Apple TV, iTunes ‘Ping’ Social Network
Some first takes on Apple’s latest would-be game-changers, Apple TV and iTunes’ new “social network for music,” Ping:
• Apple TV’s 99-cent streams of TV shows represent an incremental digital revenue opportunity for ABC, Fox, and any other network willing to sign up with the company — but the streaming rental model is not (yet?) a disruptive threat to an industry that still relies on advertiser dollars and retransmission fees, according to the Wrap.
• Wired pooh-poohs Apple TV from a tech-savvy consumer’s perspective, offering five specific shortcomings: a dearth of content at launch; no app-style interface; no HD broadcast tuner; no 1080p support; and generally, not a compelling enough offer to wean video file-sharers off BitTorrent. But Wired sees promise in Ping to spark more impulse-buys of songs and lift the digital music business.
• The Daily Beast cites analyst enthusiasm for Apple TV’s $99 price point, and the positioning of the product not as a cable box replacement, but as a peripheral that succeeds the DVD player. As for the intended audience, the site echoes CrunchGear’s observation that the device “isn’t for pirates, it’s for parents.”
• All Things Digital explores Ping’s lack of Facebook integration, despite early reports of such features. Apple CEO Steve Jobs tells the site’s Kara Swisher that Facebook ultimately wanted “onerous terms that we could not agree to.” iTunes may in any event have 150 million active users, but it remains to be seen just how many of them will seek out friends on Ping — and just how easy it is for them to do so.
Amazon’s Video-On-Demand Price Match Pits ‘Glee’ DVD Against Downloads
No sooner had Apple announced “rentals” of Fox TV show episodes for 99 cents via Apple TV than Amazon.com matched the 99-cent price point for episode downloads of Fox’s “Glee” at its own video-on-demand storefront. As paidContent points out, the discount could have implications beyond simply staying competitive in the digital space, for Fox releases the DVD version of “Glee”’s first season Sept. 14.
At least as of right now, customers can either pre-order the standard DVD for $35.49, or purchase the digital version of the entire season for $21.78 — and watch the episodes immediately. Amazon pitches the digital version on its DVD pre-order page.
Amazon Subscription Video Service Would Focus On Catalog
As Apple rolls out its new Apple TV, Amazon is reportedly eager to bow a video rental service of its own in time for the holiday season.
The site has pitched a paid-subscription streaming service to major movie and TV studios, according to the Wall Street Journal. While Apple’s rental focus is on first-run movies and just-aired TV episodes, Amazon would apparently emphasize catalog content with its service.
There is no word on how much Amazon would charge for subscriptions. The site’s video-on-demand store currently offers downloads of TV show episodes for $1.99 a piece, and movie rentals for as low as $2.99.
Roku Slashes Prices Of Streaming Set-Tops
Device maker Roku — whose set-top boxes stream content from the likes of Netflix, Amazon.com and MLB.tv — is now marketing all three of its digital video players under $100. The standard-definition, entry-level model now sells for $59.99. Tech pundits such as Ars Technica speculate that Roku’s price drop is a preemptive move to keep the company’s products competitive with Apple’s rumored Apple TV upgrade; more developments on that front, possibly, at Apple’s media event September 1.
Widevine Enables Video Streaming On Best Buy’s Insignia Devices
Widevine is providing Best Buy with streaming video software that will enable service providers to deliver content directly to internet-connected Blu-ray players and other devices marketed under the retailer’s Insignia house brand.
The Widevine software platform includes “adaptive streaming” technology for maintaining video quality over ranging Internet connection speeds, as well as virtual DVD-like controls and digital rights management (DRM).
Best Buy expects to begin shipping Widevine-equipped Insignia devices during the third quarter.
CinemaNow, Best Buy’s own digital video service, also utilizes Widevine technology to deliver video directly to internet-connected devices.
Google Pitches YouTube Movie Streaming To Studios: Report
Google is in talks with major studios to launch a paid movie streaming service on YouTube by the end of the year, according to the Financial Times. Streaming movies would cost about $5, and titles would be available on the same day as their release on DVD and other Internet video-on-demand channels, according to the Financial Times’ unnamed sources.
YouTube has long viewed itself as a potential partner with studios not just for film advertising and promotion, but digital distribution as well. In January, YouTube tested $3.99 streaming movie rentals of five independent films in a campaign with the Sundance Film Festival.
What You Get With Hulu Plus: 14 Percent More Episodes Than Free Version
Gauging the difference in value propositions between free- and paid-content services, research Firm One Touch Intelligence compared the offerings of the ad-supported Hulu.com with the streaming TV site’s $9.99-a-month Hulu Plus during the week ended Aug. 17 (via paidContent). In that timeframe, the premium version offered some 3,500 episodes that weren’t available on Hulu.com, roughly 14% more. The difference between the free and paid tiers becomes more apparent on an individual show basis: Hulu Plus carried 24 episodes of ABC’s “Modern Family” and 77 episodes of Fox’s “Prison Break” during the week One Touch Intelligence reviewed, compared to zero episodes for either shows on Hulu.com.
Vevo Debuts Free iPhone App
Features of the ad-supported music video streaming service’s iPhone 4 app include the ability to create custom playlists, share of videos via Twitter and Facebook, and download music from each video within the iTunes Store. Billboard reports that the major-label-backed Vevo had to build an entirely new platform for the iPhone, since its online music video player runs on Adobe’s Flash (which the iPhone does not support). More versions of Vevo Mobile are in the works for Apple’s iPad as well as Android devices.
The app was climbing the iTunes App Store’s 200 most-downloaded chart, with a position of 188 earlier this afternoon.
Another Spotify Exec Steps Down: Report
Paul Brown, Spotify’s SVP of Strategic Partnerships, is leaving the European streaming music service after 18 months, according to Billboard. Brown is the second member of the Spotify team to announce his departure this week; Rasmus Andersson, Spotify’s head of design, said he is leaving the company to join Facebook. Late last month, Billboard reported that Spotify remains confident about a U.S. launch later this year, though its Stateside licensing deals with major labels may make for a different service than the “freemium” model the company markets abroad.
Netflix’s Streaming Deal With Epix Preserves Pay-TV Window
Netflix continues to expand its streaming library by embarking on a multi-year licensing arrangement with Epix, the major-studio-backed pay-TV channel. Under the deal, movies will begin streaming from Netflix on Sept. 1, and will include new releases and library titles from Paramount, Lionsgate and MGM.
The deal spans five years, with Epix expecting to receive close to $1 billion in licensing revenue from Netflix, according to the Los Angeles Times.
The Epix deal follows Netflix’s July agreement with Relativity Media for exclusive streaming licenses of the distributor’s films.
Similar to Netflix’s arrangement with Relativity, the Epix deal preserves the premium television window that studios maintain with cable, satellite and telco distribution partners. Epix will make its movies available to Netflix 90 days after their pay-TV and subscription-on-demand premieres.
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