"The First 30 years were just the beginning. Welcome to 2007."
So, here goes....
How do the iTV and the Apple Phone relate?
well, to start out with, they haven't been released yet, but aside from that..
Once upon a time, Napster To-Go was created and the subscription music service was born..
but, that flopped right?
right, but for the simple reason that it wouldn't work on iPods that people already owned, and the mp3 players on the market still sucked.
a short time later, speculation surfaces that Apple was interested in creating a subscription service
http://www.appleinsider.com/article.php?id=950
Fast Forward
Apple begins selling TV shows and Movies in the newly renamed "iTunes Store"
Fast Forward some more tot Today
Apple has the largest online music library.
Apple has the largest online TV Show library, with over 56 networks.
Apple has the most popular Movie Store, and with the success of the TV Shows, is sure to add more studios.
Apple is now KING of the Content...
but, there is anouther King of Content...
Enter Google
http://www.macrumors.com/pages/2006/...29173747.shtml
So, what does this mean for 2007?
The answer lies in iTV and the Apple Phone.
iTV
well, we already know a ton about the iTV...
but, quite your crying, The iTV has, and will never have, a DVR or TiVo like interface...
why?
TiVo is dead.
The iTV will NOT include now or in the future a DVD or Blu-Ray player..
why?
DVD is dead
Blu-Ray is dead
HD-DVD is dead
(I can hear everyone crying)
I'm sorry, but the simple fact of the matter is, is that the iTV's greatest feature is in Apple's Subscription Service
The service would be similar to Napster To-Go or Rhapsody, but on the iTV everything would be streamed (with the option of saving after download, similar to QuickTime).
For a low price, make one up (i like $24.99), you would get unlimited Music, TV Shows, and Movies streamed to your computer or iTV device.
Of course, the iTV will funcion as a simple media streamer if you opt-out of the service, so in reality, if you want one right now, and you dont want the service, this dosn't change anything...
You would still have the ability to make playlists of streamed content, or you could simply download it and listen/watch it offline or on your iPod.
TV shows would be added immediately after broadcast.
The interface would be similar to Front Row's use of Movie Trailers, but it would be much more powerful and be fully integrated in a spotlight like search.
You would have the option of scheduling shows and movies to download when they become available, you would have a list of shows to watch, just like you do on your TiVo, but you wouldn't have to fast forward through the commercials...
Certain networks such as CNN and ESPN would provide a live feed of their networks with commercials..
the downloaded shows and movies would remain at their current resolution for a while, but over time increase to 480p, then 720p, then 1080p (just like the Apple movie trailers). this makes blu-ray pointless with it's expensive equipment and even more expensive movies.
For the price of a blockbuster subscirption (in my hapyy world), I get everything
and of course, viral content would be provided by Google....
Before you shake your head and say "no way"....
consider the fact that the Movie Studios and TV Networks PREFER the subscription model and are only "selling" them in iTunes because it's so popular, but, in the case of the movie studios..that has yet to be seen...
Now, for the main event...
Apple Phone
some people have wondered if Apple will even make a Phone, but the simple answer to the question is...
They have too.
I took a class with this guy who asked the class if there was anyone who wanted to buy his iPod..
I asked him why he was selling it, and he said that he recently got a new phone that plays music, when he got it he thought he would still use his iPod, but after a while, he used it less and less favoring his phone, which he had on him all the time anyway.
most people don't purchase a phone with the intention of ditching their iPod. The ditching happens over time, because people get used to the convince of having their music with them all the time...
I always have my phone in my pocket, I don't have my iPod in my pocket all the time...
iPod is dying....
The phone will be UMTS/HSDPA Only. No GSM. (shock and Aww)
If you don't belive that...why the hell did Apple put ONLY an Express Card/34 slot on the MacBook Pro when you couldn't buy an cards for the slot?
One of my friends works as a Cingular sales rep and Cingular recently sent out a memo that 3G (UMTS/HSDPA) coverage was now in every market with a population over 100,000 people. In another memo shortly after that Cingular instructed sales reps to sell 3G phones, becasue the GSM network will be phased out in the future like the TDMA network.
Cingular is going to shift it's services to a Packet Data voice service....in other words VOIP.
For the simple reason.....it's cheaper.....and that means....more moeny for us!
So....what's Apple to do?
Create an MVNO...but with a little class.....
I recently read about how much phone manufactures hate carriers, because of their specific demands.
Plus, if it were to be on Cingular, like ThinkSecret has suggested, it would break Cingular Music offering, which is based upon Windows Media file format.
MVNO is simply the best option for Apple, because it lets them do whatever they want. Steve & Co. cannot stand being out of control (a la iTunes fixed pricing)
There has been a ton of speculation over whether the MVNO will be though Cingular or Tmobile...
but, sit back for this...
how about both of them?
why not?
The phone would simply use whichever network was availible, and if both were available it would use which ever was cheaper for Apple.
and since this phone is packet data only (UMTS/HSDPA), the prices will actually be a lot cheaper than what people think...
(in my perfect world, and all things apple simple....$59 a mouth, the wireless sweet spot, for Unlimited Voice, Data, and Text)
actually, its not outside of the realm of possibility, considering that Cingular offers unlimited Data on a laptop card for $79 ($59 with a voice plan) and since I can pay a bit extra on skype or vonage and make unlimited calls on my laptop....whats the difference?
Oh yeah...and Apple isn't going to do the silly contract subsidizing thing...if people will pay $299 for an iPod, they will pay $299 for a phone....
You will actually be able to just "buy the damn phone", and nothing is really required...this way you can buy it as a gift or just for yourself...
The phone will be unlocked when purchased, but, you will be encouraged heavily to sign up for Apple's MVNO. If you live in the USA, it's really the best choice, because going with either Tmobile or Cingular, will gain you LESS coverage.
So, why is Apple going to create an MVNO?
to tie it in with their media service that your getting on your iTV...
the service wouldn't even be an extra charge, it would simply be included in the wireless mouthly fee (my perfect world $59 a mouth)....
This phone wouldn't even be similar to an iPod, it'd be so much better....
Imagine having Apple's ENTIRE library of Music, Movie, and TV Shows with you EVERYWHERE.
Anything could be sent Over-The -Air directly to your phone.
of course, if you really wanted to keep the song (or if you weren't using Apple's MVNO), you could purchase it over the Air, just like iTunes.
The Phone would have a limited amount of storage, but it really wouldn't matter, because, you would be getting all of your content immediately over the air. You could even make streaming playlists similar to Rhapsody.
Is this such a streatch? Sprit already offers full length tv show streaming to people's phones. Verizon offers over the air music purchases....whats one more step?
The way this can be accomplished is by making the phone UMTS/HSDPA only, because this will keep the cost very low for Apple.
but, they dont intend to make much moeny off of the service anyway....because the SERVICE (a la iTunes) attracts people to buy THE PHONE!
well, thats all I can think of for now....will it hit at MacWorld? depends on a lot of factors...but, I would say sometime in 2007...
Thanks...talk it up!