Netflix Mobile?

Netflix has grown in popularity massively over the last few years as it shifts from physical mailings to offering movies and TV shows via instant streaming over the Internet. And yet despite now being on a huge range of CE devices, it hasn’t yet made the move to mobile.

But that could be about to change, with a survey question from the company suggesting it’s at least toying with the idea of a Netflix iPhone app. And that same app would also be compatible with the Apple iPad, the oversized iPod Touch launching soon.

Netflix Asks The Question

The survey question comes via Hacking Netflix, which received it from a reader. It asks Netflix users:

“Imagine that Netflix offers its subscribers the ability to instantly watch movies & TV episodes on their iPhone. The selection availability to instantly watch includes some new releases, lots of classics and TV episodes. There are no advertisements or trailers, and movies start in as little as 30 seconds. You can fast-forward, rewind, and pause or watch again. The movies & TV episodes you instantly watch are included in your Netflix membership for no additional fee.”

“Whenever you want to instantly watch content on your iPhone, your iPhone must be connected to a Wi-Fi network (such as one you might have at home or at work, or in public places like coffee shops, book stores, hotels, airports, etc.)”

“If this functionality were available, how likely would you or someone in your household be to instantly watch movies & TV episodes on your iPhone via a Wi-Fi network?”

If you believe the source, and there’s no reason not to, then the implication is clear; Netflix is seriously considering developing and releasing an iPhone app which would allow users of the Apple smartphone to access ‘Watch Instantly‘ content.

Netflix ‘Watch Instantly’ is already available on home devices such as Internet-enabled TVs, Blu-ray players, and home consoles, the Xbox 360, Wii, and PS3. As well as set-top boxes dedicated to streaming online video.

Apple App Apparent

While a survey question is in no way a confirmation of an app being on its way, similar survey questions were asked about Netflix integration on the Xbox 360 and Wii. And both those devices consequently secured the service. Which suggests this is very real possibility.

If it does happen it would be a change of strategy for Netflix. In September 2009, CEO Reed Hastings stated that the company was focusing on home devices for now, with no plans for a move to mobile (including the iPhone) “in the short term.”

It could be that Netflix is now available on enough home devices to warrant a move to mobile as the next stage of a continuing strategy to be available in as wide a variety of ways as possible.

Conclusions

I think this will will happen, and soon. And I would bet that the iPad was the ultimate cause for this bringing forward of the mobile strategy. Although the Apple tablet isn’t mentioned by name, it is bound to figure in any mobile streaming plans.

Unlike Hulu, which is also rumored to be considering a mobile app, Netflix doesn’t need Adobe Flash, using Microsoft Silverlight instead. Making this even more likely to happen.

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Apple iPad

The iPad was rumored for a long time before it finally arrived, being unveiled by Steve Jobs at CES 2010. Designed to fill the void between smartphones and notebooks, the iPad is a touchscreen device costing from $499 upwards.

Apple hopes the iPad will change the way we consume media such as television, music, and games. But for that to happen, the company needs the backing of content creators and distributors.

Apple Hates Flash(ers)

As soon as the iPad was unveiled, many people saw Hulu as the perfect service for the device. Getting Hulu on board would be a big coup for Apple, and no doubt help the iPad in its quest for mainstream acceptance.

The big problem is Apple’s insistence on not supporting Adobe Flash, which has been its stance for a long time. Apple thinks HTML5 will become the new standard very quickly, and eschew the need for Flash altogether.

The one problem with that stance (aside from annoying potential customers) is that many of the services Apple wants to attract to the iPad use Flash. Including Hulu.

Hulu On The iPad

Hulu already encodes its files in H.264, so it would be possible for a Hulu app on the iPad. But that’s not the only issue at stake here.

MediaMemo reports that Hulu is indeed considering an iPad option. But it would first have to decide whether the iPad constitutes a mobile device, and if so, work out a new deal with the networks with that in mind.

Either way, Hulu on the iPad is likely to be a premium service, or part of a larger premium service, that Hulu has already indicated will be coming in 2010. It just hasn’t decided what form it’ll take, or how much it’ll cost.

CBS On 99 Cent Shows

Another way Apple hopes to kickstart the iPad’s life is by lowering the price of TV shows on iTunes to 99-cents an episode. We’ve already heard that some U.S. networks warmed to the idea after the iPad’s launch. And now we have a more concrete view from one of them.

MediaMemo (again) reports CBS CEO Les Moonves as saying, “There are certain shows that will be sold on Apple for 99 cents.” Though this shouldn’t be taken as gospel, it implies the network is heading in that direction. Which can only be good for Apple.

Conclusions

Neither of these efforts – Hulu on iPad, 99-cent shows on iTunes – are likely to be finalized in time for the March launch of the iPad. So, permanent deals could end up depending on how well the iPad initially sells. Which is still up for debate.

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Apple iPad

Apple’s head honcho Steve Jobs unveiled the long-anticipated iPad at the end of January. It’s a touchscreen tablet pitched somewhere between smartphones and notebook PCs. And it could change the way we consume digital media. Possibly.

Apple wants the iPad to become the device for media on the go. The screen makes it ideal for watching video, but there’s also gaming, e-books, and music which could be given a new lease of life from the iPad.

And it seems the content creators which Apple needs to partner with are coming round to the idea.

Hulu Without Flash?

One of the big problems with the iPad is the lack of Flash support. Apple and Adobe just don’t see eye-to-eye, and that could affect the iPad’s ability to stream video or display games. At least in the short term until HTML5 becomes dominant.

No Flash means no Hulu. Which is a shame because the iPad would be ideal for watching Hulu on the go.

But Hulu realizes this, and TechCrunch claims an industry insider as being confident Hulu is working on an iPad-friendly version of the site. With its videos already encoded in the H.264 standard, this wouldn’t actually be as difficult as first imagined.

The obvious advantage for Hulu would be the chance to charge for access through the iPad-friendly site. The company could either charge for the app or make it a subscription service, possibly only available to premium users when it likely switches to a pay model later this year.

99 Cent Shows

Even before the iPad was unveiled, we reported how Apple was seeking a deal with the big American TV networks to slash prices of episodes from the current $1.99 to just 99 cents. This would follow a similar deal with the music industry in 2003 and signal a coming of age for online video.

The FT is reporting that some of those TV networks are coming round to the idea, with the iPad playing a big part in their change of heart. If such a deal goes through then iTunes could corner the market in the same way it has done already with music downloads.

Conclusions

This is just the start of the deals we’re likely to see emerging in the run up to the launch of the iPad in two months time. If the Apple tablet is going to be as big as some analysts think then purveyors of video would be mad to miss out.

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iPad Arrives

Apple has now shown its hand, unveiling the iPad, its new tablet PC, a few days ago. I’ve already looked at what the iPad means for online video, although the jury is still out on whether the device will actually mean anything, certainly in the short-term.

Apple failed to truly capitalize on its media event on Wednesday, with very few content partners, and only YouTube and MLB.tv for online video streaming. But that doesn’t mean more won’t follow, especially by way of apps created to take advantage of the iPad’s bigger screen.

Hulu Talks Mobile Web

GigaOM spoke to Hulu CEO Jason Kilar at the DLD Conference in Munich. This was before the iPad announcement but at a time when everyone knew it was coming and most knew roughly what to expect.

When asked about the mobile Web and Hulu’s position on it, Kilar said:

“The computer in your pocket is very important. Mobile is a monster – we are very bullish. We will embrace any device. We are very big believers in mobile and we don’t think about (just) one device only.”

At the moment Hulu isn’t on any device other than the PC, but it seems clear from Kilar’s response that this won’t always be the case. While the iPad obviously wasn’t mentioned by name, it must figure in Hulu’s plans along with the iPhone and Android platforms, and probably more besides.

Hulu App?

That opens up the possibility of a Hulu App sometime in the future. Depending on how well the iPad sells, I’d guess it’ll be optimized for the larger screen rather than for the iPhone.

However, there remains one big problem, which is Apple’s resistance to supporting Flash in any way, shape or form. As Hulu uses Flash, it would have to re-encode all of its video streams to be usable on the iPad and iPhone. Which is a big ask at this point in time.

Conclusions

There’s no doubt in my mind that Hulu will make the move to mobile devices in the near future. But the Apple platforms may not be the first priority unless Adobe and Apple can make peace.

I also wouldn’t be surprised it a Hulu app formed part of the pay options the company is looking at currently. In the same way Spotify Mobile is only available to premium users, Hulu Mobile may be one of the draws to paying for Hulu content.

Apple Tablet Imminent

Apple is expected to launch its new Tablet PC – likely to be called the iSlate or the iPad – at a special media event tomorrow (Jan. 27). The Tablet is being touted as a revolution in home computing and in the way we will consume media in the future.

But pricing is going to be the key to this vision becoming reality. And that doesn’t just mean the pricing of the Apple Tablet, but also the pricing of the content Apple is expecting to be read, viewed, listened to, and played on the device.

TV on iTunes

The FT is reporting that Apple is seeking a deal with the big TV networks in the States. Most episodes of TV series are currently priced at $1.99 on iTunes, but Apple is thought to want to slash the price to just 99 cents.

This is because TV currently only plays a minor role in the success of iTunes, with music being the big seller. Apple struck a deal with the music industry in 2003 which saw individual songs go on sale for 99 cents apiece. And business has since skyrocketed.

Talk of a monthly subscription service is also continuing but doesn’t seem to getting very far. Hulu might actually beat Apple to it.

Apple Tablet?

The Tablet PC is expected to be a cross between the iPhone and a laptop, with one large touchscreen, a new version of the iPhone OS, and the capability to browse the Web and be an all-in-one multimedia device on the go.

Apple clearly wants to make it the only device anyone needs to read newspapers and books on, listen to music on, and watch TV and films on. All while on the move and connected to the Internet via Wi-Fi.

Network Interference

The networks are thought to be resistant to these pricing changes, worried that they will see less revenue and that they would adversely affect numbers and demand on traditional broadcast television.

However, as Apple has explained, price cuts would likely ramp up demand on iTunes, and help combat piracy. The fact is that piracy would almost disappear overnight were consumers being asked to pay a fair price for content.

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A Growing Sector

The lifecasting and citizen journalism sectors are both growing in popularity and importance.

Services such as Ustream, Justin.tv, and Livestream allow ordinary people the opportunity to broadcast, well, whatever they want to, within reason.

And with everyone owning a mobile phone, and new models coming complete with built-in video cameras capable of shooting good quality video, citizen journalists a growing band who can no longer be ignored.

iPhone, iPod Cameras

Apple added video cameras to its latest models of iPhone and iPod Nano, and clearly sees the worth of giving its customers a way of shooting video.

The company saw this as a way of competing in an emerging market currently led by Flip with its compact camcorders.

However, there’s no point giving people the chance to shoot video wherever they are without giving them the tools both to stream the video live to the Web and share it with a wider audience.

Live Streaming Apps

Last week saw Apple approve two live-streaming video apps for the iPhone. Apple decided to drop its restrictions on the feature and both Ustream and Knocking Live Video apps are now available from the App Store.

So, in effect, everyone who has an iPhone 3GS now has the capability of shooting video and streaming it live to the Web.

Apple’s Future

This could be the start of a big plan for Apple to place online video at the core of its business. Steve Jobs isn’t one to miss a chance to get in on a new trend at the ground level, and that would seem to be the idea.

And Apple does, of course, have the perfect software in iTunes to immediately become a big player.

[Via Wired]

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Citizen Journalists

There was a time when news coverage was strictly professional, delivered by paid reporters, photographers, and cameramen. And then everything changed with digital cameras and video cameras standard on cellphones.

Now, any Tom, Dick, or Harry can be a citizen journalist, reporting the news as it happens in front of them. Twitter and social networks are an important facet of this trend, as is online video and in particular YouTube.

YouTube Direct

Google has this week unveiled YouTube Direct, which is designed to be a meeting place for citizen journalists and the news media organizations increasingly using this amateur footage as the basis, or to embellish, news stories.

YouTube Direct is an API tweak that allows news organizations to set up a virtual assignment desk. Requests for video can be placed on the site, and citizen journalists who want to see their footage reach a bigger audience can respond.

At that point, editors from the news organization can vet the videos sent in and pick the ones most suitable. The Washington Post, ABC News, Huffington Post, Politico, the San Francisco Chronicle, and NPR are already testing out the product.

Conclusions

This is good news for Google as it helps smooth over the search giant’s relationship with the news media. It’s also good news for the news media organizations as they get access to up-to-date amateur footage which won’t cost them a penny.

However, I can’t quite see what’s in it for the citizen journalists themselves. Apart from the five minutes of fame achieved by their video footage being picked up by major news channel or Web site, there’s little reason to participate in this.

[Via TechNewsWorld]

And if so, what does that mean for third-party apps such as Twiddeo, Tweetube and 12seconds which already offer similar off-site services?

Tweeting It Simple

Twitter is growing in popularity and influence all the time. What started out as a small, niche social networking site is catching up with the likes of Facebook and MySpace.

Part of its appeal is the lack of anything complicated or messy clogging up the site. Twitter sticks to the 140-characters or less tweets while letting developers use the API to expand the service outwards.

API Goodness

This means that external sites such as Twitpic have built strong brands and businesses on the back of Twitter. The API has also enticed online video companies to try to integrate with Twitter.

The likes of Twiddeo and Tweetube offer users the chance to record and post a short video message on the site. A text link to the clip will then appear as a tweet on the user’s Twitter page.

Twitter Video Tweets?

The Telegraph today published an article claiming that Twitter was considering introducing the ability for users to post live video tweets. These wouldn’t be through a third party, rather they’d be short video clips embedded directly into people’s Twitter streams.

The newspaper claims Twitter was looking at the option in order to “help boost its prominence as a fashionable social-networking tool again.” Although I’m not convinced it really needs to do anything of the sort as it’s still growing at an astonishing rate.

Twitter Says No

Twitter co-founder Biz Stone has already debunked the rumor, telling Mashable:

“Haven’t read the piece but no video hosting. 140 characters of text including spaces. You know the drill!”

A Good Decision

And it’s a good thing that it looks as though Twitter isn’t planning on doing this. Although part of me thinks it would be rather cool to have video clips sprinkled all over Twitter, it would effectively curtail the efforts of the developers who have worked hard to provide such apps through the API program.

And then there is 12seconds.tv, a site I covered at the start of the year. This does away with Twitter altogether and is a self-contained messaging site where anyone can post a 12 seconds or less long video clip.

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Livestream Livepack Goes Live

Livestream, formerly known as Mogulus, is one of several live streaming companies which offer everyone the chance to be the star of their own television channel. It’s a competitive sector, with Ustream and Justin.tv the other big contenders.

But yesterday saw Livestream launch a new service which could mark it out against its competitors. Livepack is “the world’s first solution for wireless live streaming at HD quality,” and the hardware which makes that possible fits in a specially designed backpack.

Livepack Details

Livepack is designed for broadcasting any and all events live over the Internet. This includes concerts, sporting events, wedding, graduations, and everything in between.

There are other options already for doing this, but all rely on a reliable fixed Internet connection and none can yet deliver high quality video. Livestream maintains that its new Livepack solves both these issued at a stroke.

The hardware comes courtesy of LiveU, fits in a backpack, and includes “a built-in wireless connection with six load-balanced 3G/EVDO modems over three carriers, encoding hardware, Firewire cable, and 30 hours of streaming uplink time per month.”

Integration with Livestream’s streaming video platform and content delivery network (CDN) is included, which means that once the stream is started it streams to your Livestream player and is captured and archived for future playback as well.

Livepack Video Demo and Pricing

Livestream Livepack is only available in the U.S. and available as a monthly or yearly rental. A one-off monthly rental costs $2,500 while a yearly subscription brings the cost down to $1,500. Which may seem expensive but is a fraction of the cost of professional solutions.

Conclusions

Livestream Livepack isn’t going to appeal to everyone due to the high costs involved, but for those seeking a near-professional solution for live streaming outside events, it’s a genius and affordable solution that fills a gap in the market.

For a very reasonable investment, a whole new world can now be accessed by both amateur and professional Webcasters.

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Netflix CEO Reed Hastings has now confirmed that an iPhone app will appear one day, but not before Netflix finds its way onto all games consoles, Blu-ray players, and Internet-enabled televisions.

From Mail To The Web

Netflix was formed in 1997 as a service delivering DVDs via mail to consumers across the United States. But its name suggests that even then its founder and CEO, Reed Hastings, was envisioning an Internet future for the company.

And so it came to pass. Netflix now enables its subscribers to watch over 17,000 movies and episodes of television series via their computers or one of a number of Internet-enabled devices and the ‘Watch Instantly’ service.

Netflix Devices

Netflix ‘Watch Instantly’ is available on a range of different devices. First came the Roku box, developed by a former Netflix employee, which has now added Amazon and other streaming partners to its line-up.

This was promptly followed by a hybrid streaming/Blu-ray player, a range of Internet-enabled televisions, and the Xbox 360. But while that little lot are an impressive set of devices, there are clearly many more out there.

Netflix iPhone App?

One device many would like to see Netflix on is the Apple iPhone. And it is going to happen, just not quite yet. Speaking to Reuters recently, Hastings said:

“[A partnership with Apple is] something that’s likely to come over time. But nothing in the short term. (With) movie watching, we are not focused on mobile yet, but (instead) on the TV, on Blu-ray and on the video game consoles. We will get to mobile eventually, including the iPhone.”

“Eventually we want to be on all the game consoles, all the Blu-ray players, all the Internet TVs. So we are working in parallel with all of those efforts. Currently our Xbox deal is exclusive and we haven’t characterized it more than that.”

Big Ambitions

Hastings clearly has big ambitions for Netflix, with a desire to get the ‘Watch Instantly’ service on as many devices as is humanly possible over the next few years.

The PS3 and Wii should probably be the primary goal because of the potential of games consoles for streaming Web TV content, but that exclusive Xbox deal with Microsoft is obviously a sticking point.

Conclusions

Hopefully, this move to more devices will coincide with a move outside of the States and the option to subscribe purely to the Web streaming service rather than having it included as a free add-on to the DVDs via mail core business.

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