Instead of discussing podcasting, as mentioned in the last article, I thought it timelier to discuss Apple’s new video iPod and video downloading service through iTunes. While I’m not a big fan of Apple (although I seem to end up writing about them a lot), I have to admit that these new products open many possibilities. The new iPod isn’t revolutionary in any way, but the ability to download video, in particular television episodes, will break new ground for the future of purchasable multimedia offerings on the internet.For both films and television, the internet has been a playground for file trading these past few years. While the RIAA clamped down on Napster years ago, along with other P2P programs that traded music, stopping video downloading would remain a more difficult task for their sister organization, the MPAA. This is mainly due to the release of a little peer-to-peer protocol called BitTorrent, which after only a few years now takes up 35-50% of total Internet traffic. The sheer volume of BitTorrent traffic is staggering, and this greatly concerns the MPAA and TV networks. Now anyone who can click a web-link can download their favorite television show or film before they are released on DVD.
Instead of noticing that there is a significant demand for video over the web, the MPAA and networks have taken to threatening and suing downloaders. This is very similar to the guerilla tactics the RIAA used before Apple, Real Networks, and Napster began to offer legal music downloads. The quest for legal video downloads has been an even rockier road. This dearth of legal video content has been Apple’s primary reason for not releasing a video iPod until now.
Technically speaking, the iPod Photo could have played video as well, but Apple didn’t take advantage of those aspects of the hardware because legal video content didn’t exist yet. The iPod Video isn’t the first portable video player either, other companies like Archos have been doing this for years now without a legal source for content. To release a video iPod, Apple needed a legal video content. They ended up finding that in the strangest of partners, Disney.
For those not in the know, Apple CEO Steve Jobs also happens to be the CEO of Pixar Studios, which collaborated with Disney and was responsible for their only decent animated films since “The Lion King.” There was a falling out between Pixar and Disney, Pixar wanted more control over their own property and Disney relented, and the relationship between the two companies was thus set to end after the release of the 2006 Pixar film “Cars.” Of course, after Disney agreed to make their properties available through iTunes, we can probably assume Jobs prostituted Pixar in some way to make the deal go through. It may have been worth it though, especially when it comes to Disney’s TV properties. Disney, if you will remember, owns ABC.
As part of this new deal, Apple will offer high-profile ABC shows like “Lost” and “Desperate Housewives” over iTunes, along with things of lesser importance like music videos and Disney kids shows. The kicker is that each episode will only cost $2 and will be available the day after they air. This is where Apple’s genius shows. They could have easily lived with offering the episodes as they became available on DVD, but no. By offering them the day after they’re aired, Apple has made this video content far more dynamic, and in the end, much more useful.
This is new ground, for sure. Others will want to compete with the iTunes store, and we can expect to see other TV networks jumping on the boat. I’m also certain that we’ll eventually see higher quality versions of these episodes released; perhaps something more suitable for viewing on a big screen. It won’t be long now until we see feature films available for purchase online either, although probably not until their DVD release date. By offering up-to-date TV shows on iTunes, Apple is paving the way for others to do the same. It’s about time.
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Amherst Bytes #12: Video to Go
Instead of discussing podcasting, as mentioned in the last article, I thought it timelier to discuss Apple’s new video iPod and video downloading service through iTunes. While I’m not a big fan of Apple (although I seem to end up writing about them a lot), I have to admit that these new products open many possibilities. The new iPod isn’t revolutionary in any way, but the ability to download video, in particular television episodes, will break new ground for the future of purchasable multimedia offerings on the internet.For both films and television, the internet has been a playground for file trading these past few years. While the RIAA clamped down on Napster years ago, along with other P2P programs that traded music, stopping video downloading would remain a more difficult task for their sister organization, the MPAA. This is mainly due to the release of a little peer-to-peer protocol called BitTorrent, which after only a few years now takes up 35-50% of total Internet traffic. The sheer volume of BitTorrent traffic is staggering, and this greatly concerns the MPAA and TV networks. Now anyone who can click a web-link can download their favorite television show or film before they are released on DVD.
Instead of noticing that there is a significant demand for video over the web, the MPAA and networks have taken to threatening and suing downloaders. This is very similar to the guerilla tactics the RIAA used before Apple, Real Networks, and Napster began to offer legal music downloads. The quest for legal video downloads has been an even rockier road. This dearth of legal video content has been Apple’s primary reason for not releasing a video iPod until now.
Technically speaking, the iPod Photo could have played video as well, but Apple didn’t take advantage of those aspects of the hardware because legal video content didn’t exist yet. The iPod Video isn’t the first portable video player either, other companies like Archos have been doing this for years now without a legal source for content. To release a video iPod, Apple needed a legal video content. They ended up finding that in the strangest of partners, Disney.
For those not in the know, Apple CEO Steve Jobs also happens to be the CEO of Pixar Studios, which collaborated with Disney and was responsible for their only decent animated films since “The Lion King.” There was a falling out between Pixar and Disney, Pixar wanted more control over their own property and Disney relented, and the relationship between the two companies was thus set to end after the release of the 2006 Pixar film “Cars.” Of course, after Disney agreed to make their properties available through iTunes, we can probably assume Jobs prostituted Pixar in some way to make the deal go through. It may have been worth it though, especially when it comes to Disney’s TV properties. Disney, if you will remember, owns ABC.
As part of this new deal, Apple will offer high-profile ABC shows like “Lost” and “Desperate Housewives” over iTunes, along with things of lesser importance like music videos and Disney kids shows. The kicker is that each episode will only cost $2 and will be available the day after they air. This is where Apple’s genius shows. They could have easily lived with offering the episodes as they became available on DVD, but no. By offering them the day after they’re aired, Apple has made this video content far more dynamic, and in the end, much more useful.
This is new ground, for sure. Others will want to compete with the iTunes store, and we can expect to see other TV networks jumping on the boat. I’m also certain that we’ll eventually see higher quality versions of these episodes released; perhaps something more suitable for viewing on a big screen. It won’t be long now until we see feature films available for purchase online either, although probably not until their DVD release date. By offering up-to-date TV shows on iTunes, Apple is paving the way for others to do the same. It’s about time.