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Apple TV Sold Almost 500K Units in Q2, So Maybe There's Still Hope For Google TV?
Last week Google TV got smacked around pretty hard, as Logitech, maker of the standalone Revue device, conceded that returns were running ahead of sales (which has now been updated to reflect returns from distributors, not consumers). The company took a $34 million writedown to cover the cost of reducing Revue's price from $249 to $99. And Logitech's CEO Gerald Quindlen, a big Google TV promoter, was shown the d
oor in the process.
It's tempting to conclude that Google TV is toast. However, a small bit of news that got little attention last week suggests that there may still be hope for Google TV: it turns out that Apple TV sold a very respectable 480K units in Q2, which was 70% higher than a year ago, according to Concord Securities analyst Ming-Chi Kuo. And with the holiday season just ahead, quarterly sales are likely to move still higher, making Apple TV a sleeper hit among connected devices.
Categories: Devices
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Friday Fun: Jason Alexander's "Netflix Relief Fund" and Microsoft Office 365's "Gmail Man" Videos
A little Friday fun - if you haven't yet seen former "Seinfeld" star Jason Alexander's hilarious "Netflix Relief Fund" video on Funny or Die or Microsoft Office 365's "Gmail Man" videos, it's time to take a break and do so. I promise both will lighten your day and prompt you to share further. Then get back to work. Both videos are after the jump. Enjoy!
Categories: Indie Video
Topics: Funny or Die, Microsoft, Netflix
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Friday Fun: Jason Alexander Lampoons Netflix Price Increase on Funny Or Die
A little Friday fun - if you haven't yet seen former "Seinfeld" star Jason Alexander's hilarious video lampooning Netflix's recent price increase on Funny or Die, it's well worth it. Alexander's mock heartfelt pitch for the "Netflix Relief Fund" is sure to resonate for everyone who's been up in arms about Netflix's recent price change. Video after the jump. Enjoy!
Categories: Aggregators
Topics: Funny or Die, Netflix
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VideoNuze Report Podcast #106 - Fox's 8-Day Pay Window and Netflix's Q3 Churn - July 29, 2011
Daisy Whitney and I are pleased to present the 106th edition of the VideoNuze Report podcast, for July 29, 2011.
In this week's podcast, Daisy and I dive into two topics - Fox's new exclusive 8-day authentication window, and Netflix's Q3 '11 subscriber churn. Regarding Fox, this week the network announced that it would limit online access to programs in the first 8 days following their airing to viewers who are authenticated as pay-TV subscribers (or are Hulu Plus subscribers). As I wrote, I think the move has significant implications for Hulu, and the broader online video landscape. We discuss Fox's motivations, the role of retransmission consent fee payments and what might be coming next.
We then shift to discuss estimates of Netflix's Q3 '11 subscriber churn, due to its recent price change. By my calculations, Netflix itself is estimating it could lose approximately 6.5 million subscribers in the U.S. in Q3, which would be a record for the company. The amount attributable solely to the price change could be in the 2.5 - 3 million subscriber range. In the wake of all the speculation about how subscribers will react, Daisy discloses the surprising decision she and her family have made with regard to their Netflix subscription. Listen in to find out!
Click here to listen to the podcast (14 minutes, 34 seconds)
Click here for previous podcasts
The VideoNuze Report is available in iTunes...subscribe today!Categories: Aggregators, Broadcasters, Podcasts
Topics: FOX, Hulu, Netflix, Podcast
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Amazon Gets Universal Movies to Stream That Netflix Already Has
Amazon announced a new licensing deal with NBCU that gives it streaming rights to a batch of older movies from Universal Pictures, bumping to 9,000
the number of movies and TV shows available for its Amazon Prime Members. However, the move is unlikely to have the folks at Netflix quaking in their boots; like Amazon's licensing deal with CBS from last week, virtually all of the Universal movies are already available on Netflix (by my count 9 of the 11 titles identified in today's press release can be streamed on Netflix while only "Elizabeth" and "Fletch" are available solely on DVD).
Don't get me wrong, more content is always a good thing, and these deals, along with an acquisition of Pushbutton, a UK app developer for connected devices, suggest things may be ramping up at Amazon. But the content deals do underscore the catch-up game that Amazon is playing with Netflix. That's the dynamic in today's market - Netflix got a head start in aggregating Hollywood content for online distribution. Now, to the extent it has a willingness to pay, Amazon must go do similar deals.
Categories: Aggregators, FIlms, Studios
Topics: Amazon, Netflix, Universal
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Will Wal-Mart Expand VUDU Into Subscriptions and Compete With Netflix?
Wal-Mart's news this week that it has more deeply integrated its movie streaming service VUDU into its web site and e-commerce operations is a
good step forward in competing better with Amazon and iTunes. However, because the vast majority of users prefer all-you-can-eat subscription services, the reality is that VUDU's new visibility will likely have little impact on Netflix (except maybe for lighter users who are upset by Netflix's recent price change and aren't deterred by VUDU's per title rental model and restrictive expiration policies).
That raises the question of when might Wal-Mart really step up to the plate and expand VUDU into subscriptions, offering a true alternative to Netflix? It seems like the time may finally be right to make the move. In particular, Netflix's recent price change, separating DVD-by-mail and streaming-only services presents a golden opportunity for Wal-Mart to go on the offensive. Here's the logic:
Categories: Aggregators
Topics: CBS, NBCU, Netflix, VUDU, Wal-Mart
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Fox Unveils Exclusive 8-Day Authenticated Window For Online Shows: Major Ouch For Hulu
Assuming Fox, one of Hulu's owners, was hoping to sell the site for top dollar, then you have to wonder about the consequences of a new plan it has announced to create an exclusive 8-day online viewing window solely for paying
subscribers of authorized distributors. The new plan is a major endorsement of pay-TV operators' TV Everywhere approach and could be the first salvo by broadcast TV networks in curtailing free online access to their programs. DISH Network is the first pay-TV operator to sign up for the new Fox plan.
For Hulu, the move would appear to be a double whammy. A key part of Hulu.com's value proposition and its ability to drive huge traffic was offering next-day access to select programs from its parent broadcast networks. Under the new plan, users would lose coveted free next-day access (plus a week) unless they were authenticated. Less traffic of course means less advertising revenue.
Categories: Aggregators, Broadcasters
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Digital Radio and Video Advertising Mix As Slacker Signs Up With YuMe
Digital radio is all the rage these days, and now Slacker Radio, one of the key players, is looking to further monetize its audience through video advertising, by partnering with ad manager YuMe. Under the deal, being announced this morning, Slacker will use YuMe's ACE for Publishers (AFP) ad serving platform to insert ads across multiple devices. Slacker will sell its own ads and will also tap into YuMe's ad network.
Categories: Advertising, Music
Topics: Slacker Radio, YuMe
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