Netflix is expected to face significant challenges in 2012, as its customer-satisfaction ratings have fallen below those of Amazon and new competitors continue to emerge with original video plans.
“There’s many more digital players that will command the attention of studios and consumers in 2012, from would-be Netflix rivals to those sporting entirely different business models and aiming to deliver TV programs and movies to every screen in U.S. homes,” reports Variety.
The success of the Netflix model has led to a new category known as subscription VOD, which is expected to spawn imitators. “Hulu, for one, built an SVOD component, Hulu Plus, off its massive ad-supported base that has nabbed 1 million subs in over a year,” notes the article. Both Netflix and Hulu have commissioned original content and continue to secure exclusives on catalog fare.
Amazon’s SVOD spinoff could present a challenge to Netflix, as Amazon Prime is also closing catalog deals. And Verizon “may enter the space in conjunction with Redbox.” We may also see SVOD models from Walmart’s Vudu and Dish Network’s Blockbuster.
The article cites the possible impact of a la carte digital rental options, such as iVOD offerings through Apple’s iTunes, and the one-off movie offerings Facebook has been testing.
Variety notes an additional possibility: “Microsoft’s Xbox Live was the first to try a third digital-distribution model for video that everyone from Verizon to Sony has been reported considering: the virtual MSO model, which bundles a bunch of linear channels akin to how a cable operator does, but with much fewer channels at a much lower price point. All the while, Xbox stays in the iVOD biz via its Zune marketplace.”
The migration from Internet Protocol version four (IPv4) to Internet Protocol version six (IPv6) has already been underway for over a decade, reports TVTechnology.
“The current system, which uses 32 bit IP addresses, is being replaced with a system that uses 128 bit IP addresses. IPv6 also uses a completely different packet header than IPv4,” indicates the article. “These differences mean that IPv4 devices cannot communicate with IPv6 websites and vice-versa. Fortunately, both protocols can work over existing Ethernet and other low-level networking technologies, so there is no need to replace the physical infrastructure of LANs or carrier networks.”
Content providers, including broadcasters that run websites, may one day need to address users who only have IPv6 addresses. “To support these users, many websites are employing a ‘dual-stack’ approach, where Web servers are configured to have interfaces for both IPv4 and IPv6 traffic.”
Additional challenges for broadcast facilities include “the added overhead of the larger IP packet headers,” and “the cost in both time and support fees that could be required to update and verify all of the specialized equipment used inside a broadcast facility, including video file servers and editing workstations.”
The transition to IP V6 will be like a slow Y2K event. It will enable major opportunities in tagging content and devices, but it will not be fully backward compatible with existing Web data, formats, and metadata.
Onkyo has announced that its 2012 line of AV receivers will include InstaPrevue technology from Silicon Image and HDMI ports leveraging Mobile High-Definition Link (MHL) technology.
“When consumers connect an MHL-compatible smartphone or tablet to an MHL-equipped AV receiver or directly to an MHL-equipped TV, they can stream 1080p HD video and 7.1-channel surround sound from the mobile device to their home theater system,” reports TWICE.
“The HDMI port of the AV receiver or TV will also charge the portable device, and consumers will be able to use their TV or AVR remote to control the playback of content streamed from their MHL-enabled mobile device.”
According to the MHL Consortium, 23 smartphones currently feature MHL technology including the Samsung Galaxy S II, Samsung Infuse and HTC’s EVO 3D. In terms of tablets, the HTC Flyer and EVO 3D View 4G also feature MHL.
“Silicon Image’s InstaPrevue technology will be demonstrated at CES in a private booth in South Hall 2,” notes the article. “Onkyo will demonstrate both technologies at a public suite at the Venetian.”
CNET speculates what trends will emerge at January’s CES regarding networking and storage technologies.
Wireless: “Just a while ago, Broadcom, one of the major makers of networking chipsets, showed me a preview of the new 802.11ac standard that brings the top speed to up to 1.4Gbps, almost 50 percent faster than a Gigabit connection, that is. And if that’s not fast enough, Velocity also recently introduced the first chipset based on WiGig Alliance-backed 802.11ad 60Ghz wireless standard that offers up to 7Gbps ceiling throughput speed.”
“Networking will also be available in more home appliances, such as TVs, refrigerators, ovens, microwaves, and even cars,” adds the article. “Broadcom said it will also be demoing for the first time a new Ethernet-based solution for the rear-view camera, which not only enhances the quality of the image but also makes the whole solution more affordable and lighter.”
In terms of the Cloud, expect to see routers that come with mobile apps for control from smartphones, and personal cloud developments from hard drive and NAS server vendors.
CNET also predicts: “In terms of data transfer speed, hardware vendors will introduce their versions of Thunderbolt-enabled storage solutions.”
At next month’s CES, Myriad will demo its new Alien Vue, which allows TV and set-top box manufacturers to bring Android apps to their existing products.
Alien Vue also brings a branded app store, Web browser and portable device control to your TV.
Myriad enables Android apps on other non-Android devices such as iOS and MeeGo.
“This new release supports apps designed to run on GoogleTV and HTML5, including YouTube, Netflix and Twitter,” describes the press release. “Apps, content and services appear and function as they would in their native environment with no disruption or loss of performance.”
Lantronix has developed an iPhone-sized box called xPrintserver that enables printing from any iOS device. The $150 device supports more than 4,000 printers.
“With automatic printer discovery and no configuration, printing is easy and hassle-free. Simply open the box, plug in the xPrintServer anywhere into the network, and print wirelessly from the iOS device,” explains the press release.
“The proliferation of iPads and iPhones in the corporate world has yielded a potentially tremendous opportunity for providing an easy printing solution free of hassles associated with today’s work-around solutions,” said Kurt Busch, president and CEO for Lantronix. “With more than 90 percent of Fortune 500 companies slated to deploy iPads by the end of 2011, this is an ideal time to expand into this market.”
The xPrintserver will be available in January 2012 through Lantronix.com as well as resellers such as Amazon, NewEgg, Buy.com, and MacMall.
The company is expected to showcase xPrintServer at Digital Experience during CES in Las Vegas.
Forrester Research analyst Sarah Rotman Epps reveals the consumer electronics computing form factors that she expects to see at CES 2012, as reported in eWeek.
First is wearable devices, including current technology like the Lark sleep tracker or biometric bracelets that connect wearers with their devices.
Next, embedded devices — “gadgets that include computing processors and sensors, such as refrigerators, coffee machines, and other Web-enabled devices” — are expected to become more popular, allowing the remote use of devices.
“Epps also sees ‘surfaces,’ or larger interactive displays that rely on multi-touch, voice and gesture input, facial recognition, near-field communication (NFC) signals and any other manner of wireless technologies and sensors,” explains the article.
Screens will be reinvented, made flexible to be folded, rolled up or flexed and will come in all shapes and sizes.
Lastly, Epps predicts mini-projectors to make advances, allowing users to manipulate interactive projections in 3D space.
“The most successful products will work with other products — for example, wearables that talk to smartphones and TVs; surfaces that are activated by the presence of your smartphone,” Epps said. “We’re living in a multi-device, multi-connection world, and the best experiences will be those that work across devices and platforms.”
Plexus Entertainment has launched a beta-version of its new movie-bookmarking service called “Watch It” that allows users “to keep track of movies they’re interested in, where those movies are playing, and to be proactively notified of all the different ways to view those films,” reports TechCrunch.
The post describes the service as “a Netflix queue for movies on the Web.” In addition to being a stand-alone site, Watch It buttons have launched on film sites, social media pages, industry trade publications and more.
“From theaters to streaming movies on demand from Amazon Instant Video, VUDU, and iTunes, the Watch It button enables users to create and maintain personalized queues of movies they want to see, with a range of tools for sorting and filtering those movies that they’ve queued. Watch It is also leveraging social networking by allowing users to share their movie choices with friends via Facebook Connect,” TechCrunch explains.
The service also has the ability to provide valuable analytics for movie marketers and promoters and can be used for reader engagement and a source of commerce with the easily embeddable button.
Coming to CES: Lumus will preview its see-through HD video glasses that offer clear 3D video in 720p and even allow interaction with the world via augmented reality.
A 1080p version is also on its way, but commercial offerings of the glasses may not happen for some time.
“The lenses are completely transparent (and can be tuned for folks with vision problems) and when enabled the glasses display a crystal clear, 87-inch screen about ten feet away from you,” which TechCrunch reports is stunning. “The displays themselves are 1280 x 720 pixels and Lumus has created iPhone-compatible adapters that can display HD video right through the pumps and into the lenses.”
“Although these guys will be showing their gear at CES, they’re going the OEM route and are currently looking for partners to use the technology in AR displays, video games, and media players,” explains the post. “There won’t be any Lumus-branded ‘They Live’ style super glasses any time soon, although they do have some major players interested in the technology.”
TechCrunch predicts that wearable devices such as this will eventually replace hand-held screens.
Panasonic has been named a CES Innovations Design and Engineering Awards Honoree for its 65-inch Professional Plasma Display.
The company is targeting the home theater and post-production markets with its TH-65VX300U and claims the display’s “color reproduction approaches digital cinema standards.”
According to the press release: “The display’s ultra high-speed drive technology achieves clear and extremely detailed 3D video and also enhances 2D content. The advanced drive provides smoother gradation, which is double the smoothness of conventional models, resulting in richer gradation expression in a dark area of the screen allowing the viewer to see what is happening in extremely low-lit areas.”
The release also suggests the high-speed drive technology enables “crisp and clear” images, especially for sports and action films.
“The display also features a scaler bypass function which allows for pure degradation-free images and the use of an external scaler,” explains Panasonic. “With 3D images…the display features phosphor improvements and original lighting controls that deliver clear images with virtually no crosstalk.”
Google just hit the 10 billion mark for Android app downloads and is seeing one billion downloads per month.
However, The Arora Report found that some app developers make 1000 percent or more revenue from Apple than they do with Google.
“It appears that iPhone buyers are more amenable for paying for apps whereas Google buyers typically look for free apps,” explains Forbes. “Capitalism indicates that developers will continue to focus first on Apple and then on Google. It makes sense for the developers to go first where the money is.”
The article suggests Apple buyers prefer top of the line products whereas many Android consumers buy cheaper phones.
To further entice buyers, Google is now offering 10 popular Android apps for $1, with plans to cycle new apps every day.
UltraViolet’s Web channels are now live and will be going global, with launches planned in the UK for the end of December, Canada in 2012 and additional locations in 2013.
“Sony, Universal and Warner began shipping UV-enabled Blu-ray and DVD titles to U.S. shelves in October,” reports paidContent. “In the last few days, the first three online exponents — SonyPictures.com, UniversalHiDef.com and Flixster.com — went live, allowing owners of the new discs to also stream the same movie on those sites for free.”
In the UK, Tesco’s Blinkbox VOD service will launch an individual version of the same concept, but “Blinkbox will also be plugging in to UltraViolet in 2012.”
“Against a backdrop of piracy and the rise of subscription access services like Netflix and Spotify, UltraViolet is a defensive ploy to build online value around the same model entertainment has known for decades — ownership,” suggests the article.
Verizon is planning to launch a TV and movie streaming and download service by May 28th, with a beta expected as early as April. The company is rumored to have partnered with RedBox to include physical disc rentals in the service.
The service, called Project Zoetrope internally, will stream in SD or HD to a variety of platforms — iOS, Android, Xbox and others — and video storage will be enabled for mobile devices and tablets.
“RedBox is immediately recognizable and synonymous with simplicity and value,” which will help Verizon with its lack of branding in the movie/TV world, TechCrunch writes. “RedBox, however, has little in the way of TV shows, so Verizon is probably doing much of the heavy lifting on that side, and of course on the delivery infrastructure front.”
“Pricing is expected to be monthly and credit-based, e.g. $5.95 per month for 6 credits, which could be used to rent X movies or Y shows,” adds the post. “There will be several tiers and some will include physical disc rentals, and of course there will be ways to purchase more shows if necessary.”
A new material, molybdenum disulphide or molybdenite, may challenge silicon as the leading chip-making material for the “next generation of smaller, more efficient mobile devices.”
Scientists at the Laboratory of Nanoscale Electronics and Structures developed the chip prototype. “This naturally occurring material can be worked within layers only three atoms thick, meaning it may be used to make chips three times smaller than the current standard,” reports Mobiledia.
“Advances in chip technology are about more than device size, however,” the article notes. “Mobile processors are called upon to do more functions…and the chip technology that drives them must advance as well.”
In this way, molybdenite would allow for high powered processors that take up less space, which would enable mobile processors to tackle larger amounts of data.
“Molybdenite also has mechanical properties that may allow it to be made into flexible sheets of chips, which may be used in mobile devices or computers that roll up, fold or stick to the skin,” indicates the article.
At this week’s UBS Global Media and Communications Conference, Comcast executives described “their multi-billion dollar pact with Verizon inked late last week a transformative event in some ways on the scale of acquiring of NBCUniversal,” reports Variety.
“Talk about content, you got NBC. And wireless, you got this. In perpetuity,” said CFO Michael Angelakis. “This is a deal forever. We don’t have to invest in building a wireless network. We aren’t going to acquire a wireless network. It’s quite a significant transaction.”
The deal to sell wireless spectrum to Verizon will finally enable the quadruple play where customers can receive video, Internet, landline and cell phone service.
“Watching a video on your wireless devices, then resuming it in your home. Great new devices with your Comcast (subscription), great new innovations…will come out of that side of the deal,” said Comcast Cable prexy Neil Smit.
