Apple: Original Programming

Original content -- another reason to have a better delivery system. 

I think that the Mobile Phone companies are the best place to watch for this reason. They are going to use ad-supported free content, and the bigger and more shared the screen (and more often) the better. 

In my opinion, services like Go90 from Verizon, and BingeOn from T-Mobile are what to watch. 


Business Insider

The California-based technology giant is reportedly planning to bundle original video content with its Apple Music subscription service by the end of 2017.

It has apparently been talking to "veteran producers" about both original TV shows and movies — though the movie plans are reportedly more "preliminary." Apple has already shown some appetite for original video content — it bought the "Carpool Karaoke" TV series starring James Corden in July. But this would be a significant broadening of these ambitions.

***

Historically, Apple has been all about "hits" — launching huge, revolutionary products that provide a major boost to the company (in theory). But with the exception of the Apple Watch, it hasn't launched a significant new product since Tim Cook became CEO in 2011, and sales growth of iPhones — on which the company is highly reliant — is slowing.

Subscription services offer Apple an opportunity to generate recurring revenue and better monetise its existing user base.

Even if Apple isn't immediately seeking to go head-to-head with the likes of Netflix and Amazon, it would still be a development of concern to the two subscription services. Apple enjoys enormous profits and has huge cash reserves — and is under increasing pressure to find new growth. If it develops the will to go all-in on original content, it has the resources to outspend anyone else in the market.

Go90 -- Ecosystems

A lot here. With Go90, Verizon is prepared for where the market is headed... to mobile.  

Note that their service is ad-supported, people spend an average of more than 30 minutes on the app, and -- this is important -- focused on short, episodic content of seven to eight minutes.... this is absolutely perfect type and length of content for an embedded pico projector solution.
LosAngelesTimes  -- more at the source

Verizon would not disclose results or financials for Go90, but a spokesman said the company is “very pleased” with the number of downloads and users, noting viewers spend an average of more than 30 minutes on the app.

Some observers believe that Verizon might eventually buy CBS and Viacom to bulk up in a similar way that AT&T is trying to do with its acquisition of Time Warner.

But Verizon has said that the AT&T-Time Warner deal doesn’t affect its focus on attracting millennials and teenagers to smartphone apps filled with articles and short shows.

“They are going after a market that exists today. We are going after where the market is headed,” Marni Walden, the Verizon executive in charge of leading the new efforts, said at a conference Wednesday. “We’re focused on short, episodic content — seven, eight minutes. We’re not going out to make ‘Game of Thrones.’”

“There is no plausible reason for Verizon to follow suit,” Moffett said. “Verizon's strategy in content seems to be overtly in support of their wireless business. AT&T’s seems to be diversifying away from its wireless business.”

Verizon’s bid for Yahoo was driven by its desire to build its foothold in digital content and advertising. Despite the hack, Verizon executives say they expect to close on the acquisition next year.

Watching Soccer

So, here a projector that is really poor next to PicoP is regarded as mind-blowing.  More that no one really knows the tech exists, it's connected here to Verizon's Go90 service.

He's also alerting a lot of soccer(football) fans about it -- and that's a pretty huge market.

Pretty soon he'll see PicoP -- and be really blown away..


World Soccer Talk  (More at the source)

I had a chance to demo new technology recently that blew my mind.

Watching as much soccer as I do and I’m sure you do too, the rate that technology is changing our viewing experience is progressing at a slow and steady pace. Many of us are watching more soccer via legal streams than we used to. We’re also watching a wider array of leagues, teams and competitions as the sport becomes more accessible than it ever has. And for many of us, nowadays we’re watching our soccer games across a wider array of devices other than just the television.

So I was pleasantly surprised last week to stumble across a technology that I wasn’t aware even existed. I hadn’t seen or heard of it, but the idea is novel and could be something that soccer fans, like you, can use.

It’s the ability to snap a small projector on to your smartphone so you can beam soccer streams from your phone to your wall in your home, dorm, office or anywhere you want.