The idiot-box is getting smarter
Lately, I’ve been following the advent of the Smart TV phenomenon. At first glance, connected TVs (with or without a net-top box) do seem like the future of home entertainment where you can stream your own content, subscribe to original series instead of the whole channel, watch movies on demand and enjoy YouTube from your couch. But there are challenges. Challenges to mass adoption 1. Market is fragmented Apple TV, Roku, Google TV, Boxee (now part of Samsung) and dozen others (find full list here) are currently trying to break into the market. While smaller startups will eventually be merged with bigger players, the market is currently too fragmented and nascent. Consumers are particularly worried about the fact that their choice of vendor might suddenly be acquired and shut down. (see Boxee). Although, there is enough room for smart new entrants and nimble incumbents, the space will finally be ruled by bigger companies who has clout and influence. Why? This brings us to challenge two: content. ...