Sony Looking to Cut Out Cable Providers with Web-Based TV Service

[divinox]

This is not a typical Sony move. I want to know who's marketing plan was shown the side door and a trip to Japan landed this. Eventually, television networks become obsolete with content control going away from elites. This is one more step in that direction.

Rather, going away from one elite to another. No one is working to displace gatekeepers, everyone is looking to replace them. To take their position.

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People also associate Zenith with tv.

As a former Trintron owner, one could argue that whatever cache Sony once enjoyed has been squandered in the last ten years. Even my parents, who used to be unable to conceive of buying anything electronic that wasn't from Sony, just bought a Samsung television. Instead, they've become more known for repeated security breaches and creating failed proprietary formats.

My lone remaining Sony device is the PS3. Were it not for its Uncharted franchise exclusivity, I'd have had it on Ebay a long time ago.

In stark contrast to Sony, Apple's brand popularity and reputation for innovation seem IMHO much better poised to shake up the living room.

-MNF

P.S. As for Apple's reputation in the TV market, the AppleTV is a popular device by many standards. Anecdotal evidence: My luddite parents much prefer its interface to that of the built-in web media applications on their television.

Well, them being Luddites, shouldnt they approve of the crappier of the two - it being less of a threat? :- )

 

[Dr McKay]

The user interface on the Sony Blu-Ray player we have is absolutely horrible. It feels like a poorly implemented 8-bit UI built on top of an old MS-DOS. The icons and lists are not in intuitive lists and when I put in a disk I just hope the movie launches rather than bringing up their main screen. Hopefully they've got someone fixing that.

Sony have never been good as designing UI's and interfaces. The PS3's and PSP UI are a confusing mess, and is stuck in its ways, they cannot expand it without changing the whole thing.

I took a look at the Sony software bundled on my Vaio before wiping it, not too great.

 

[Dbrown]

All I've been saying is that if Sony tries their only Sony approach again, as they've done a number of times, they will be hurt by it if competitors can deliver a better product & service, as Sony's competitors have been able to do in the past. Hurting Sony sales.

Dude you need to stop living in the past. Look at PS3... that is Sony's flagship CE device and it uses bluetooth, wifi, USB, HDMI, a hard drive that is user replaceable with any standard hard drive and at one point it supported installing linux right out of the box.

 

[divinox]

I think Sony and Apple both wanted to create a mini cable network via the web as a direct competitor to cable service. More like a new cable market, but more cherry picked.

The back end service isn't an issue for Sony. It's content partners. (Sony owns a large chunk of Hollywood, in case you forgot: film, tv, etc.)

Do you know how many cable channels are owned in full or in part by Cable providers? The ones who aren't also would have to feel the wrath of Comcast and TWC, and others. Then we get into the fact that the content providers who are free and clear to do what they want still charge a hefty fee to cable operators that they're going to want to charge to Sony/Apple or whoever.

Do cable companies gouge us? Absolutely, but their weighting costs do come down to what they pay to content providers. This is why you see cable providers buying or investing in networks. It cuts their costs, and allows them to profit off of their competitors who need those networks.

Then you get into the muddy issue of needing a really fast internet connection for such a service. (So you still are giving a cable operator money anyway, and cable companies charge a premium for their internet services if you don't subscribe to their TV offerings. So much of a premium, that for $20-$20 more, you could just have a full package with them. Comcast will charge you around $70 for internet alone at a decent speed. Slow connections don't make for great TV over the net.) If Apple/Sony really wanted to compete, simply streaming content would never be enough. It would need to be real time, and providers are not going to want to circumvent commercials that make them the bulk of their money.

I think if any companies out there would ever consider such a thing, it's not going to be network tv (cable or broadcast). It would be subscription channels: HBO, Showtime, Cinemax, Stars, etc. They would be the only group that would have nothing to lose and everything to gain.

HBO doesn't allow web subscription even for their HBO app because they have contract limitations with cable operators, and I'm sure the others do. Now when those contracts need renewed, maybe that could change.

It will always come back to money. At the end of the day, advertisements are the bread and butter of content providers, and any model that wants to cut that gravy train will never fly.

Now Sony actually has a leg up on Apple. They OWN a crap load of content. Sony Pictures owns MGM now, in addition to Tri-Star, and several other groups they've acquired over the years. They also own tons of television shows, and music resources. Where Sony has a chance that Apple didn't is they have something to bargain with: their own content availability. They could also launch a service exclusive of their own content.

So will we see a service from Sony like the rumor suggests? I doubt it, but I could totally see a Sony service with a great bulk of content in it that might be compelling enough to subscribe to.

This is what people seem to ignore. Content and distribution is tightly coupled to the degree of vertical integration at points; if things haven't changed distributors are in large (indirect) content producers.

We have to remember that while Apple disrupted the music industry with the iPod, what made this possible was not iTunes per se, but the industrial crisis brought forth by music piracy. In essence, gate keepers of old had already lost control. This is not the case with video. And in fact, the distributors are to large degree the same.

Thus, to disrupt, not only does one take active part in content production, one must also replace the distribution network, meaning new infrastructure is needed.

And, even if that is done, what we have is not cheaper, better TV. We have new gate keepers, gate keepers that won't think twice gouging us the exact same way cable companies do today. Control always leads to gouging due to lack of competition. Without neutral distribution layers, what people are asking for is in essence a pipe dream (pun intended).

 

[MacAudioPro]

Apple had no recognition in the cell phone market.
Apple had no recognition in the music player market.
Apple had no recognition in the PDA market.

You are talking about geeky or specialized devices. Apple needs to rethink their entire strategy to sell something as mainstream as a television set.

 

[diamond.g]

Sony have never been good as designing UI's and interfaces. The PS3's and PSP UI are a confusing mess, and is stuck in its ways, they cannot expand it without changing the whole thing.

I took a look at the Sony software bundled on my Vaio before wiping it, not too great.

The XMB is easier to navigate than people give it credit for. Especially compared to its competitors (360, I'm looking at you). To be honest, the AppleTV interface is similar in style, Apple just chooses to use text instead of icons and text to show you what columns you are in. Sony doesn't have to change the way XMB works to add additional content.

 

[Steve Mobs]

Soon. The whole system of cable television is archaic. I can't wait till the internet and cable TV converge, or more accurately, that cable TV will be folded into the internet.

 

[linux2mac]

What about their successful standard formats ?

Hmm…let's see here.

1. The floppy (ROFLMAO!) - Dead.
2. BETA - Dead
3. DAT - Dead.

4. DVD - Dying

More Proof DVD's Are a Dying Medium
http://www.pcworld.com/article/226079/more_proof_dvds_are_a_dying_medium.html

5. CD - Dying a "slow, graceful death."

Will Music CD's Be Dead In 14 Months?
http://news.cnet.com/8301-17938_105-57321531-1/will-music-cds-be-dead-in-14-months/

6. Blu-ray - Still struggling half a decade after it's debut.

The Blu-ray Cup Is Fifteen Percent Full
http://technologizer.com/2011/06/09/the-blu-ray-cup-is-fifteen-percent-full/

Now they are actually giving BD players away for free! In this case though two wrongs (Android plus BD) do not make a right.
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Samsung...int)/3529199.p?skuId=3529199&id=1218412709650

And Apple just broke past 7.5% in European sales, and the fans think that world domination is just around the corner.

*Cough* Windows XP *Cough*

I was running errands with a friend yesterday and we stopped in a US Bank and a Honda dealership. I was curious to see what OS was running on their modern looking displays. Much to my surprise (actually not but it sounds better for my "story"), it was (drum roll)... Windows XP Professional! From all the hype of Windows 7 here I would not have expected a 10 year old OS to still be in production by two major corporations like US Bank and Honda. LOL.

Well, them being Luddites, shouldnt they approve of the crappier of the two - it being less of a threat? :- )

Good thing its not Android or the Luddites would be in way over their heads. According to Ballmer, you need to be a computer scientist to use Android.

Ballmer Says You Need To Be A Computer Scientist To Use Android
http://androidcommunity.com/ballmer...a-computer-scientist-to-use-android-20111019/

Interestingly I know many computer scientists who avoid Android. Hmm…..

 

[chirpie]

That's the thing though - why do you think they'd give you the same benefit for a much lower cost? They won't. You won't be able to get 5-10 channels for 2.5-5% of what you spend for 200 channels, I promise.

Sad but true. You can't just pick 3 mainstream channels and 3 unpopular ones, because they are in effect being subsidized by spreading it all around. Unless you want like, 5 channels total, and are paying a LOT currently, Á la-carté doesn't save you much.

 

[AidenShaw]

From all the hype of Windows 7 here I would not have expected a 10 year old OS to still be in production by two major corporations like US Bank and Honda. LOL.

Apparently you don't work in any enterprise then - because then you'd know that the larger the corporation the slower that *working* software is upgraded. There's no real ROI on constantly upgrading to the latest across the board.

Especially if it's running a kiosk or display app....

Of course, it's a "move the goalposts" maneuver to reply with something completely unrelated to what you've quoted.

 

[linux2mac]

Apparently you don't work in any enterprise then - because then you'd know that the larger the corporation the slower that *working* software is upgraded. There's no real ROI on constantly upgrading to the latest across the board.

Especially if it's running a kiosk or display app....

Of course, it's a "move the goalposts" maneuver to reply with something completely unrelated to what you've quoted.

*Cough* Self-employed *Cough*

My clients are small business owners. But yes, my previous employer was a Fortune 100 corp here in Moneyapolis (moniker my colleagues in cities with struggling economies give my home city).

Let's not talk about "moving goalposts." Many a time in the infamous 6000 plus post BD thread, I've felt like Charlie Brown after Lucy pulled the football away as he tried to kick a field goal.

 

[samcraig]

Blu-Ray players are actually well about 18% now - and that was the beginning of 2011.

Blu-Ray media Sales are up well over 70%.

But sure - if you want to "bury" the only real true high definition content AND media available to the consumer - go right ahead. Doesn't seem very Apple like of you though since most Apple enthusiasts pride themselves on the best quality.

And your link to best buy means nothing. Just like I said in another thread - that's Best Buy trying to drive sales. It has nothing to do with how well BD players are or are not selling. Strawman argument/linking to try and be clever. Sorry. A For effort. F for execution.

 

[duck69]

TV & Internet

Your IP still determines the amount of bandwidth that you have with additional charges if you go over . Secondly I get 250 channels + 2 premium channels. Most of which are Music, Sports, Religious & Latino channels that I don't watch/listen to anyway . Thirdly there are at most less than 10 channels that I watch. So why can't I just get what I want Ala Carte ?

 

[diamond.g]

Your IP still determines the amount of bandwidth that you have with additional charges if you go over . Secondly I get 250 channels + 2 premium channels. Most of which are Music, Sports, Religious & Latino channels that I don't watch/listen to anyway . Thirdly there are at most less than 10 channels that I watch. So why can't I just get what I want Ala Carte ?

Bundling.

 

[divinox]

Hmm…let's see here.

1. The floppy (ROFLMAO!) - Dead.
2. BETA - Dead
3. DAT - Dead.

4. DVD - Dying

More Proof DVD's Are a Dying Medium
http://www.pcworld.com/article/226079/more_proof_dvds_are_a_dying_medium.html

5. CD - Dying a "slow, graceful death."

Will Music CD's Be Dead In 14 Months?
http://news.cnet.com/8301-17938_105-57321531-1/will-music-cds-be-dead-in-14-months/

6. Blu-ray - Still struggling half a decade after it's debut.

The Blu-ray Cup Is Fifteen Percent Full
http://technologizer.com/2011/06/09/the-blu-ray-cup-is-fifteen-percent-full/

Now they are actually giving BD players away for free! In this case though two wrongs (Android plus BD) do not make a right.
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Samsung...int)/3529199.p?skuId=3529199&id=1218412709650



*Cough* Windows XP *Cough*

I was running errands with a friend yesterday and we stopped in a US Bank and a Honda dealership. I was curious to see what OS was running on their modern looking displays. Much to my surprise (actually not but it sounds better for my "story"), it was (drum roll)... Windows XP Professional! From all the hype of Windows 7 here I would not have expected a 10 year old OS to still be in production by two major corporations like US Bank and Honda. LOL.




Good thing its not Android or the Luddites would be in way over their heads. According to Ballmer, you need to be a computer scientist to use Android.

Ballmer Says You Need To Be A Computer Scientist To Use Android
http://androidcommunity.com/ballmer...a-computer-scientist-to-use-android-20111019/

Interestingly I know many computer scientists who avoid Android. Hmm…..

Laugh all you want, it only highlights your ignorance. Banks are still relying on legacy machines running COBOL. Industries still use FORTRAN and punch cards. Generally, enterprises dont upgrade unless they absolutely have to, due to the vast costs (and risks) associated with migration. Anyhow, visit that bank in a year or two and they'll run W7. MSFT is pulling the plug April 2004. Given normal migration times of 12-18 months most have already started. Thus, wouldnt be surprised if we see 700M W7 licenses in the near future. It passed XP a month or two ago. Should reach 500M before end of year.

The only thing that could make it fail is W8. But, that'll mainly affect home purchases, as businesses generally wait at least until SP1 to switch over.

 

[AidenShaw]

MSFT is pulling the plug April 2004.

I think that you meant 2014.

And "pulling the plug" doesn't mean that XP stops working - just the end of updates.

A couple of years ago I was at Fry's in Sunnyvale and the sales station hung. After a minute or so the salesman rebooted - and the system booted into MS-DOS and started Netware!

Companies don't fix things that aren't broken. XP systems will be around 'til the end of the decade and past.

And you missed one:

Originally posted by linux2mac:

Now they are actually giving BD players away for free!

"They" are also giving Iphones away for free!

Oops for that argument.

 

[divinox]

I think that you meant 2014.

And "pulling the plug" doesn't mean that XP stops working - just the end of updates.

A couple of years ago I was at Fry's in Sunnyvale and the sales station hung. After a minute or so the salesman rebooted - and the system booted into MS-DOS and started Netware!

Companies don't fix things that aren't broken. XP systems will be around 'til the end of the decade and past.

And you missed one:



"They" are also giving Iphones away for free!

Oops for that argument.

1) 2014 fo sho. My bad.
2) Of course the code won't self destruct, M:I style.
3) Good ol' Novell :- )
4) Since FORTRAN and COBOL systems are abundant, of course XP systems will be too. However, most businesses that (can afford to) take IT seriously will switch. Or rather, have already started switching (while not necessarily rolling out)

If we put it like this, XP was at 70% or so at the end of 2009. As of Oct 2011 it was down to 40%. Come EOL (April 2014) it'll be at 10% - if even that.

 

[sensel]

Sony: long history of bad software

But on a Sony TV, the internet TV feature (Sony's version of a built in Roku) is really poorly done. It is slow, has limited channels/apps, there is no way to update or add new channels/apps (Sony has total control to update - and that is not a good thing.) The interface with Sony apps is much worse than Roku version. For instance in Amazon video on Sony, it is really hard to return to a series of shows you were watching the last time the TV was on. But on a Roku box, it remembers where you were when last watching Amazon videos.
I know, in theory, Sony will fix this bad interface stuff if they go this direction but wait, they really don't have a very good track record of doing this. This goes back to the problem Sony has always had (as well as other electronics manufacturers) which is a total failure when it comes to software. Apple did not have this issue. Roku less so too.

 

[hexonxonx]

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[/COLOR]

Can't you switch provider? I've been through 6 ISPs before I settled on my current one (BT Infinity with no bandwidth). Surely there's an unlimited bandwidth option available?

I have Qwest which is now Century Link and there are no caps. I have sat here downloading 356GB in one month before and got no notice ever from them. ISPs who limit bandwidth aren't worth paying a monthly fee to. Support those who don't limit.