iTunes Video Downloads Have No Future, Free Online Streaming FTW
- May 14th, 2007
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- 2 Comments
Don’t get too used to download videos from iTunes, friends, because new data suggests both content providers and consumers are poised to gravitate toward free, advertisement-based streaming video in the near future. Paid video downloads are set to peak this year, raking in an estimated $279 million, according to Forrester Research. The same report calls iTunes’ video download service a “temporary flash,” suggesting that ABC’s model of streaming shows online for free is where the market is heading. Part of the reason is the aversion people have to paying for video that they can’t easily watch on their TV. Apple TV is supposed to fix that, but I don’t know that it’s taken off as well as Apple might have hoped.
Bottom line: “Free is going to win,” probably because it keeps soap companies happy more so than that it being optimal for you.
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1 year ago
paid video download are not dead if they are hd and drm free and cheap if they are tv shows, but wanting people to buy music videos or regular looking tv shos episode is completely backwards.. that is where xbox got this right.. you can download tv shows in HD drm free and keep them and have them directly in your living room… also cheap HD movie rentals are the way to go.. and that is where xbox live marketplace is heading already… but you get to see why your are paying, and that is optimus quality and convenience in the click of button in a tivo like fashion
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David Mackey (Who am I?)
1 year ago
I agree that video downloads are going to move towards free. I’ve been using CBS Innertube, ABC Launch, etc., etc. for quite some time now and just recently started utilizing Joost. There are still some shows I have to buy, but a lot of them are now available for free, supported by advertising. As technology advances we can expect this advertising model to become more profitable. Corporations will be able to determine what types of ads their viewers are interested in and customize them on a per user basis.