Google to Supply Video for Apple iTV?

[MacRumors]

http://www.macrumors.com/images/macrumorsthreadlogo.gif

Newsweek reports that Apple and Google are in talks about supplying videos to Apple's iTV product when it ships next year.

Is it possible that when iTV ships next year, you may also be able to choose a menu item called Google Video, and then zip through the best of the thousands of user-submitted videos on the search giant's service? Google's consumer product chief, Marissa Mayer, tells me that indeed, the two companies are engaged in talks.

Apple's iTV was previewed last week at Apple's Media Event. The $299 set-top-box is positioned as a "DVD player that happens to play Internet videos [instead of DVDs]" according to Jobs. The box is wi-fi enabled and allows users to play music and videos from their iTunes library on their television. One additional feature, however, is that it can also connect to the internet. In Steve Jobs' demo last week, he showed that it could stream movie trailers from Apple's Movie Trailers page. It would not take much to also allow it to pull videos from Google Video.

The partnership is interesting in that Google is a competitor to Apple's iTunes and also offers CBS television shows for $1.99/each.

[rdowns]

It's all about the content. Apple gets it.

[Dunepilot]

Suddenly this device makes a lot more sense. What are the chances they might include some hooks to YouTube as well?

[noservice2001]

right.... of course

[NewSc2]

Originally Posted by Dunepilot

Suddenly this device makes a lot more sense. What are the chances they might include some hooks to YouTube as well?

good idea, but YouTube's quality isn't that great and what really makes YouTube is their comments section, and the ability to embed videos on other pages.

[polyesterlester]

Originally Posted by NewSc2

good idea, but YouTube's quality isn't that great and what really makes YouTube is their comments section, and the ability to embed videos on other pages.

Well that, and the selection.

[darwen]

Stupid idea. I hate it.

iTV should be a quality product with quality content brought to it. Movie trailers and Movies/TV shows bought on the iTunes music store are far different then that of YouTube and Goggle Video.

I hate these "anyone can upload websites." There is plunty of good content on them but unfortunatly there is just to much crap. I rarely see a quality video on YouTube. If I had an iTV with this "functionality" I would feel like apple was providing me with crap just because they needed some sort of free content that was worth watching on the device. Add a DVR, not a bunch of crap.

YouTube is not compatable with this device. The interface is completely different and anyone who has attempted to upload content to YouTube should understand that the quaity it is compressed to makes it un-viewable. Keep in mind people, Steve specificly said "your new high def TV." Who wants to stream a 100meg video to that? Google videos are a little different but not a lot better. If this does happen, I am happy it is not YouTube.

I see no advantage in this. The only content I would watch over google video on my TV is copy written content that either:
a) I should be downloading off of iTunes legally.
b) Stuff I diddent to record on my DVR.

I hate this idea. It's all about the content? I agree, but quality beats quantity. Dont provide content, provide great content. Add a DVR.

[Abstract]

Originally Posted by darwen

If I had an iTV with this "functionality" I would feel like apple was providing me with crap just because they needed some sort of free content that was worth watching on the device. Add a DVR, not a bunch of crap.

Well, you see, the problem is that you're not the only person in this world.

Are you going to be the person who will determine what videos are high enough "quality" to be streamed to iTV, and which videos are not?

What about people who want to stream child porn or some disturbing fetish videos from their computer to iTV?? I certainly don't want that sort of thing to be streamed or viewed anywhere, but I can't control what gets streamed and what people like.

Don't like the service? Don't use it. Some other people out there might actually enjoy watching videos from Google from their iTVs.

[markfc]

"The $299 set-top-box is positioned as a "DVD player that happens to play Internet videos" according to Jobs."

So...does this mean it does have a dvd drive?

If it does, I'll have one on the day of release.


Mark

www.crushmy307.co.uk
Crushed by the power of the Internet!

[wasimyaqoob]

I'm just gonna buy one because it looks so nice and it can sit next to my 42" Sony Bravia HD TV

[BornAgainMac]

If you have a hi-def display, it just means you have a wider selection of content that you can view. It doesn't mean you have to view content at it's highest possible quality. I think it is excellent to expand non traditional video into the living room like Google video and Apple's movie trailer site. Internet surfing, music, photos have been done already by WebTV and Tivo. Time for something new. Perhaps on-demand CNN and BBC coverage. News stories that you can finally control what is playing on your TV.

Higher quality will evolve over time. I would like to see Apple Keynotes viewable on iTV.

[rockthecasbah]

Who would want to watch Google video or Youtube on a TV? They are so pixalated and low quality in just the small window on your computer screen alone, the picture would be practically unrecognizable on a tv...

[bigandy]

Originally Posted by Abstract

Well, you see, the problem is that you're not the only person in this world.

[snip]

Don't like the service? Don't use it. Some other people out there might actually enjoy watching videos from Google from their iTVs.

i agree completely. i think it's a good little timewaster to enjoy. and that's a brilliant first sentence comeback

[Bonte]

Originally Posted by rockthecasbah

Who would want to watch Google video or Youtube on a TV? They are so pixalated and low quality in just the small window on your computer screen alone, the picture would be practically unrecognizable on a tv...

Its special Google selected material so i'm sure they will pick the best quality for this. There are some other sites to so it can grow, why not a picture site or comics?

[Mikey Mike]

Didn't a Google Director become a Director at Apple recently???

[BRLawyer]

Awesome news...Apple and Google will be leading this race in no time...MS is dead in the water...the quality of the content doesn't really matter, what matters is the spectacular union of 2 major brands that represent the top edge of innovation and "coolness"...this will be awesome if true.

[mechamac]

DVD player?! Well why didn't Steve say so in the first place! Much better.

[MikeDTyke]

What we haven't seen so far and seems so obvious.

An interface to the iTunes store!

If i'm sat in front of my TV, bored i'm not going to run upstairs to my Mac/PC to load up iTunes, browse the podcasts/movies/music, click download. Then run downstairs, remote in hand waiting for it to appear.

For this to be a proper CE experience, we need to be able to buy from the iTV.

M.

[MikeDTyke]

Originally Posted by BRLawyer

Awesome news...Apple and Google will be leading this race in no time...MS is dead in the water...the quality of the content doesn't really matter, what matters is the spectacular union of 2 major brands that represent the top edge of innovation and "coolness"...this will be awesome if true.

The Quality of content ALWAYS matters. Which is why SJ should be beating those studios into submission and move on from this Disney rubbish. With the minor exception of POTC and every Pixar prior to cars, Disney tends to be utter sh*te.


M.

[iJaz]

The iTV is getting more and more interesting!
I thought it would com without a DVD player, but now it seems to be one included. And the more content Apple can secure, the better!

[nick.hill]

I can't wait!! - I'm watching more and more stuff from the BBC website, which whilst not the best quality, I can put up with it.

I think we may find broadcasters/Google et al raising their standards when they realise where it's being used.

Kind of like the way you see - "Download for iPod" on some sites now.

[Compile 'em all]

Okay, I don't get this. So they will be selling movies through the iTunes store
and at the same time allowing you to play the DVD version on the very same
device

[ImNoSuperMan]

Originally Posted by rockthecasbah

Who would want to watch Google video or Youtube on a TV? They are so pixalated and low quality in just the small window on your computer screen alone, the picture would be practically unrecognizable on a tv...

Well a CD looks much better on my 52" projection TV compared to 13" MB. The Hi REs screen of the MB makes any low quality stuff look ugly and pixelated. But a TV can handle the same thing much better. So IMO low res content on regular TV is not as bad as it`d look on a computer screen.

Originally Posted by mechamac

DVD player?! Well why didn't Steve say so in the first place! Much better.

I still doubt it. DVD drive in iTV wasn`t mentioned during the event. Are you sure it`d have a DVD drive?

Originally Posted by Macrumors

The $299 set-top-box is positioned as a "DVD player that happens to play Internet videos" according to Jobs.

[prady16]

Well, i still see myself buying a Mac Mini and attaching a TV Tuner to it rather than buying an iTV. The inclusion of a DVD drive just makes it more similar to the mini. I am pretty sure i didn't see a dvd slot on the iTV from the pictures. Here is one from Engadget:

[Malcster]

This is gonna be key for people outside the US who *still* dont have access to TV & Movies through iTunes, were all going to be stuck downloading /ripping/encoding etc all our own content otherwise!

This is a great move in my opinion and just pushed my chances up a little in purchasing one of these.

It hasn't got a DVD drive.