Apple Survey References Ability to 'Instantly' Watch iTunes Store Video Content on iPad

[MacRumors]

Engadget yesterday reported on an Apple customer service survey going around in recent days that specifically addresses the ability to "instantly" watch iTunes Store video on the iPad, a feature not currently available.

. . .it lists "Titles are available to watch instantly" as a reason you might totally love watching video on the iPad. Of course, you can't watch iTunes videos "instantly" right now -- the iPad requires the entire video file to download before playback begins, and the current Apple TV requires a fair bit of buffering -- so this could be a big hint that instant streaming is coming quite soon.

With Apple's media event scheduled for tomorrow, speculation of course tends to surface about whether Apple might announce a new streaming video service for iTunes.

Customer service and market research surveys are typically poor sources for such information, as those in charge of the surveys are generally far removed from any product development processes. Consequently, it seems more likely that this is item is simply an error or unclear wording on the part of the survey staff, but given that the source is Apple itself, it bears noting.

Most of the rumors regarding a cloud-based streaming service for iTunes have centered around music, but sources have indicated that Apple has yet to even formally approach music labels about making licensing deals to allow the service to be implemented. Rumors of video streaming have, however, occasionally cropped up, including claims that the Lala Media team that was expected to work on music streaming has been diverted to tackle an unknown video feature. A focus on video streaming would also play into the rumored Apple TV/iTV revamp.

Article Link: Apple Survey References Ability to 'Instantly' Watch iTunes Store Video Content on iPad

 

[Eidorian]

Stupid amounts of bandwidth coming soon...

 

[sfh]

It would be nice but I just think it was a mistake or they mean that once you dl the file it is available
vs having to go get it from the store on a dvd or something like that

 

[drummerlondonw3]

It would be nice but I just think it was a mistake or they mean that once you dl the file it is available
vs having to go get it from the store on a dvd or something like that

I was just going to say the same thing. This seems to be an itunes vs handbrake question

 

[tk421]

It would be nice but I just think it was a mistake or they mean that once you dl the file it is available
vs having to go get it from the store on a dvd or something like that

Agreed. I think it was just supposed to mean that you don't have to leave your house or wait for a shipment.

 

[Kid A]

I was just going to say the same thing. This seems to be an itunes vs handbrake question

The iPad owners I know don't know what handbrake is. I was thinking more an iTunes vs. Redbox/video store/Amazon/Best Buy/etc.

But yeah, I wouldn't read anything into this at all. "instant" is relative. It is quasi-instant compared to going for a drive or waiting for a shipment.

 

[brettbabi1]

Streaming video?

I believe that Podcast videos currently stream on the iPad and iPhone. However, movies and TV shows do not.

 

[trellus]

Isn't streaming available already??

About two weeks ago, I accidentally clicked on a MSNBC video podcast under iTunes (a full 40+ minutes) on my iPhone 4, thinking it would show me a preview clip, but instead, it actually buffered momentarily then proceeded to play the entire video podcast. I've downloaded video podcasts on my iPhone before over WiFi, waited for it to complete downloading and then watched it, but this was the first time I'd ever streamed a video podcast.

I want to say this was actually over 3G, and not WiFi (the streaming), but I'm not 100% certain.

 

[iSteiner07]

I believe that Podcast videos currently stream on the iPad and iPhone. However, movies and TV shows do not.

Yes, Podcasts are streamed right to iPad. I watch the nightly news(every morning) that way. The quality is far from high def, but acceptable for news. I would imagine Apple can and will incorporate this into movies/TV but with better streaming quality. The million dollar question is... when?

 

[stationstops]

Subscription all-you-can eat streaming is where its at.

iTunes store = old school.
Grooveshark and Netflix streaming = new hotness.

 

[sugarbear]

Isn't this talking about videos already synced to your iPad being instantly available for viewing?

 

[bamerican]

It would be nice but I just think it was a mistake or they mean that once you dl the file it is available
vs having to go get it from the store on a dvd or something like that

Yep. Probably too much reading of the tea leaves by Macrumors on this one...

 

[barberio]

Some research firms do seed their polls with pairs of answers that can be answered in contradicting ways, and answers that demonstrated that the respondent does not actually own something they claimed to own.

So this question could simply be a question part of identifying the proportion of people who say they have an iPad when they don't.

 

[skeep5]

welcome to 2008

 

[Piplodocus]

Agreed. I think it was just supposed to mean that you don't have to leave your house or wait for a shipment.

+1

Why do I ever buy albums off iTunes when I can often get a real "physical" copy (i.e. CD) from Amazon for the same price or sometimes less, and rip it at whatever quality I want/browse the booklet? It's because I can get the album "instantly"!

Same goes for movies. If it's the evening I can buy/rent a movie from itunes and have it within an hour or 2 without going out.

 

[Macinposh]

I wonder if people outside the states would finally get some content to stream?

Like,after 5 years of waiting...




Naah...

 

[ogee]

I would think by instantly they mean instantly available as opposed to going to the store and buying one or waiting for the post to come.

 

[lironl]

Surely a no brainer

I disagree.

Awhile ago I bought a TV episode on iTunes and was able to watch it shortly after it started downloading. This was on my PC, over broadband, in Australia. Watching a TV episode or a movie on an iPad while it's downloading over wi-fi would surely be a no brainer for apple to implement.

Liron

 

[tabasco70]

Doesn't this just mean that you don't have to go to the store to buy it, or have it shipped to you, but instead you can download it and watch it instantly?