2 posts tagged “dvr”
Apple events always prompt my lazy self to post, even disappointingly boring ones like today's "Let's Rock" announcement. If you missed it, new iPod nanos that are a throw-back to the old iPod nanos, new iPod touches that still don't make the thing a must-have, and a new version of iTunes. Shows are now available in HD ($2.99 an episode, right in line with XBLM). Oh yeah, and it looks like Apple and NBC made up. As I said to Dave earlier, welcome to 2006.
It's no secret that the living room is the next battleground in the world of home entertainment. Microsoft and Sony are both making plays to be the all-in-one solution to your living room entertainment needs. The PS3 and the Xbox 360 are posturing to be more than just game systems, but full multimedia beasts: listen to music, surf the internet, even download movies (rumored to be on the way).
Now, it appears that Apple may want in on the action. They're currently developing something called the iTV, which was originally designed to stream downloaded content from your computer to a box that would hook up to your TV. It's a work around to get those television programs to play on something that doesn't require you to sit in a computer chair to enjoy. Initially, it seemed like a lot of trouble just to get things to be watched where they should logically be watched. Well, then came the rumors that it was going to do more than that. Maybe a hard drive? Will it double as a DVR? How great would that be?!
Now, Apple is encroaching on the realm of the digital home. Prudential analyst Jesse Tortora seems to believe that in order for Apple to see long term success against the likes of Microsoft and Sony, adding gaming to the mix may be necessary. "There are no technical limitations to this capability, and Microsoft is already aggressively wooing the movie studios," he writes, "This could adversely impact Apple’s iTunes Movie download business longer-term, along with its iTV and video iPod sales."
Is this something that Apple should realistically pursue? It seems like a pretty frightening path to follow, especially considering that Microsoft has posted nothing but annual losses in it's video game division since the original release -- fiscal year 2006's losses to the tune of $1.26 billion (src: Next Generation: "How much is too much?"). Interestingly, that article reminded me that Microsoft's original reasons for breaking into the video game market were very close to where Apple finds itself now: afraid of being locked out of a potential digital lifestyle revolution.
So does Apple need to pull a Microsoft? My gut says no, but they haven't always made the best business decisions.
