The future of TV is apps, says Apple's Tim Cook

Apple CEO, Tim Cook

Now that Apple TV is a software development platform, developers can write for a 40-inch screen. Just as the rise of the iPhone created a massive ecosystem of developers creating smartphone apps, a wildly successful Apple TV could lead to a burgeoning number of television-ready apps, creating ripe opportunities for app developers and marketers such as Gilt, Airbnb and Zillow.

Connected TV market set to near 1BN mark by 2020

At IBC 2014, the new data forecast released by DTVResearch last month shows connected TV taking off in almost every major market device category.

Examining methods of connection, the report suggests that the number of connected games consoles will rise to 202 million by 2020, double the 2013 total. The US will provide 50 million of the 2020 total, followed by China (22 million) and Japan (18 million). From the 111 million added between 2013 and 2020, the US will provide 18.5 million and China 17 million.

Yet the report adds that the number of installed smart TV sets overtook games consoles connected to the Web in 2013. Smart TV sets will account for just over a third (36%) of the 2020 total connected sets, with 346 million. Of these 56 million will be located in the US and 74 million in China. From the 248 million to be added between 2013 and 2020, China will contribute 65 million, with the US supplying an extra 27 million and India 29 million.

This means that the proportion of TV sets connected to the Internet would have rocketed to 30.4% by 2020 with an estimated 965 million internet-connected TVs compared with the 12.1% expected to reach by year ending 2014. 

Imagineering Connected TV 2013

Season's Greetings. Our new look website and private client login area is set to bring a wealth of new tools and project information to your fingertips in 2013 http://www.inshot.com.au

With some of the biggest Connected TV platforms and portal projects on the planet going to be built right under our noses in 2013 we want to help you be a part of it! That’s why founding the Connected TV Marketing Association means leading our clients on the right path to relevance and revenue on Connected TV platforms and never straying from the curve. That’s our compass.

Providing M&E and Enterprise clients with strategic advice and direction for investment now strategies in telecommunications, broadcasting, advertising, media, entertainment, home banking, home shopping, education, medicine, transport, aviation, automotive and government utility services on connected TV platforms is the core of our focus.

For a private consultation, please email James Grant Hay for an appointment james@inshot.com.au or telephone +613. 9804 7183. 

Connected TV Meeting at BBC Worldwide Australia



APAC Board at BBC Worldwide Australia



The Connected TV Marketing Association's country boards are now coming together to officiate local agenda's in their regions. Last week, our APAC board met at BBC Worldwide Australia in Sydney.

Pictured above from L-R Mark Blair (Brightcove), Andy Edwards (Telstra), Stephen Langdon (NBN Co.), Will MacKinnon (SBS), Sandra Davey (Netgem), Luke Steele (Samsung) and David Gwynne (Samsung).

Both the U.S, Canada and Central Eastern European boards are scheduled to meet. Major topics under discussion include; regulatory issues, corporate governance, standards issues, conventions in TV app development and other general commercial areas of interest to professionals and investors in VoD, OTT, Social TV and Branded Entertainment.

The Association will be making a major European announcement this month concerning its Belgium board and the European Commission, to coincide with the launch of our new APAC website.

Connected TV Marketing Association Announces its APAC Board

Leaders of the Australian advertising, media and entertainment sector converged at the Powerhouse Museum in Sydney on Wednesday, for the inauguration of the Connected TV Marketing Association’s APAC Board.

With a third of Australians planning to buy a smart TV or internet-connected device or set-top box this year, 2012 marks a turning point for connected television viewing in the region.

At the summit, Founder and President of the Association, James Grant Hay announced the appointment of Professor Duane Varan, Executive Director of the Interactive Television Research Institute at Murdoch University as its Honorary APAC Chairman.

Professor Varan will preside over a board of directors from company representatives as diverse as ABC, Accedo, SBS, and the NBN Co. Limited. In accepting the nomination of Chairman, Professor Varan said:

In an age of perpetual change, it's critical that all players across the new value chain work together to build vibrant new business models. There are exciting new opportunities for connected TV in the road ahead which the Association hopes to help cultivate in this region".

The launch in Sydney also included a Smart TV presentation from Samsung Electronics Australia and was attended by representatives from Australian companies, including Telstra, Viocorp, BBC, Netgem, Village Roadshow, Adconion, Brightcove, and special guest from London, Shirlene Chandrapal Vice President of Connected TV at smartclip.

With 85% of marketers interested in advertising on internet-connected TVs, the CTVMA had been set up to inform and educate the advertising, media and entertainment sector on the commercial opportunities of Connected TV platforms.

On the panel, the association’s Asia-Pacific Vice President and Director of Accedo, Matt Kossatz said:

“Connected devices offer brands and content owners the chance to connect their offline spend with the rapidly growing online content market, with TV applications or targeted ad campaigns served by ad networks across electronic program guides and within the TV's onscreen App Store”.

In closing, Founder and President Asia-Pacific of the Connected TV Marketing Association James Grant Hay said:

"We are delighted with today's turn out and thank Professor Varan and all the APAC board members for their valuable time and future contribution moving forward. Our presence in the region is now well and truly established”.

As part of its future plans, the CTVMA has immediately embarked on an open industry consultation process with the consumer electronics industry, inviting leaders from the advertising, media and entertainment sector to participate in formulating an open industry terms of reference.

Since launching in November, the association now comprises of 117 Country, Regional and Chapter appointed Presidents, Vice-Presidents with representatives around the world. A complete list of the APAC board members can be viewed here.

The board now plans to schedule its first agenda meeting and announce details of its next Sydney event in June as part of its attendance at the Connected Entertainment Conference in Melbourne later in the year.

Advertising Embodies Connected TV's Future

Leaders of the advertising, media and entertainment sector have converged in New York, London and Melbourne for the inauguration of the Connected TV Marketing Association (CTVMA), the global industry trade body of the advertising, media and entertainment sector.

In 2012, television advertising will join the 21st century, as Internet connected televisions, from brands such as Samsung, Sony and LG, are predicted to make up to 90% of the global TV market by 2014, with sales, reaching 123 million.

Connected TVs offer brands the chance to connect their offline spend with the rapidly growing online content market, with TV applications or targeted ad campaigns served by ad networks across electronic program guides. With 85% of marketers interested in advertising on internet-connected TVs, the CTVMA had been set up to inform and educate the advertising, media and entertainment sector on the commercial opportunities of Connected TV platforms.

James Grant Hay, Founder and President Asia-Pacific of the Connected TV Marketing Association said:

"The CTVMA is being launched today to address these issues currently being faced, by not only advertisers, broadcasters and rights holders alike but, by the TV set makers themselves. As TV platforms are likely to compete with broadcasters to buy programme content from rights holders and serve advertising against it."

Doug Scott, Honorary U.S. Chair of the CTVMA, President of Ogilvy Entertainment said:

"Ogilvy is committed to the development of advertising and original brand funded programming on Connected TV platforms to enable a direct dialog between consumers and brands."

Zachary Weiner, Co-Founder and President North America of the Connected TV Marketing Association said:

"Connected TV platforms supersede broadcasters in owning programme content and selling advertising against it. Marketers are also frustrated by the lack of audience information on who they are targeting and ad networks face issues of interoperability, scale and standards across platforms".

As part of its future plans, the CTVMA has immediately embarked on an open industry consultation process, inviting leaders from the advertising, media and entertainment sector to participate in formulating an industry terms of reference.

The association currently comprises of 47 Country, Regional and Chapter appointed Presidents, Vice-Presidents with representatives around the world.

An Australian board will be announced at the CTVMA’s first industry event in Sydney on March 7, 2012. For more information on the CTVMA, visit the website's media kit. Official photos from the Melbourne media launch, here

Follow the CTVMA on Twitter @CTVMA

Smart TV Ambush: Why Television Will Own Television [coming soon].

Get ready 2012. Why Television Will Own Television: In the Biggest M&A Shakedown you have ever seen.

Smartphone sales are skyrocketing, tablet sales are about to explode and Smart TVs are preparing for lift-off.

Learn why the broadcast networks are loosing control and how Sony, Samsung, LG, Philips, Toshiba, Panasonic and Loewe are devouring entertainment content and why content portals are the next big thing.

There's a storm brewing outside. Not the menacing kind, like a hurricane off the Carolina Coast. No, this storm is an industry one, that will pit consumer electronic manufacturers of Smart TVs against the will of traditional broadcast television networks.

Stay tuned for this special post.

It's Not TV, It's Social TV [VIDEO] #SXSW

With so much excitement from last week's announcement that Warner Bros. will begin releasing movies as apps on Facebook, the industry buzz from this weekend's SXSWi panel on Social TV looks altogether enthusiastic, as interactive television experts gathered in Austin, Texas to discuss the future of Social TV. For the full story coverage, visit Mashable.

Warner Bros. Releasing Movie Apps

Welcome back. 2011 is going to be a huge year for “entertainment apps”. To kick off this trend on Wednesday, Warner Bros. released movie “app editions” of director Christopher Nolan’s popular action-dramas, “Inception and “The Dark Knight,” making it the first time a major studio has made its films available to download within a freestanding application, rather than through a download service like Apple’s iTunes Store.

The app edition of 2008’s “The Dark Knight” currently costs $9.99 in the U.S.—the same price the iTunes Store charges to download the movie. The newer “Inception,” which came out last summer, costs $11.99, $2 more than its current iTunes Store price. The “Inception” and “The Dark Knight” app editions are available in over 30 international territories, including China, Brazil and the Netherlands — countries that currently do not have access to films for purchase via the iTunes Store.

The plan to launch separate movie apps has been in the works for the last six months, and was largely informed by the studio’s desire to push their films into a larger number of countries and to add features for mobile device users. The announcement represents a significant turning point in the digital on-demand movie distribution business.

I'll be talking about in-app purchasing revenues and advertising in "movie apps" and "entertainment apps" for studios at this year's Multiplatform TV Show in Sydney, Australia from 27-29 April, 2011. Meantime, buckle up and watch the demo reel below:

The Social Shopping TV Revolution

It's going to be the hottest trend in 2011, so what do you get when you cross Connected TV with Internet shopping? A: Interactive Social TV shopping.

With French Connection preparing to launch its suite of multi-screen interactive TV apps for Google TV, this week has also seen the launch of Debenhams very own interactive TV channel in the UK, with community features built-in to allow shoppers to purchase products with a single click.

The channel has been designed to give online shoppers an experience distinct from that offered by other fashion retailer websites. Programming will include interviews with top designers, including Ben de Lisi, Henry Holland and Matthew Williamson

It will also feature Debenhams staff giving advice and choosing their favourite products from store departments, including lingerie, menswear and accessories. There are also plans to introduce personal shoppers and celebrity stylists to give online workshops.

Like TV shows, Internet shoppers simply recommend their favourite products that are discounted to their friends.

When you combine this phenomenon with the latest retail check-in craze (Saks Fifth Avenue) together with the growth in the virtual currency market (Facebook Credits), you have a fairly compelling case, that a revolution in online retail commerce is about to explode.

Groupon, an online collective buying service, is the current leader of the new social shopping wave. Groupon subscribers (consumers) get daily deal emails. Offers come from local businesses and generally are heavily discounted.

With clients eager to enter this market, we have been closely monitoring group buying retailer Dotmaison, Daily Grommet, BazaarVoice, The OC Concept store and Volkswagen.

The Future of Business is Telepresence

The business of telepresence on Connected TVs will I predict, usher in the most extraordinary wave of Internet startups, the likes of which we have not seen since the dot com era.

Cisco's new global study on end user perceptions of telepresence and video conferencing has just been released. The research, announced today, polled an internationally representative sample of workers from 12 key markets and found dramatic differences between how users and nonusers of the technology perceive the various benefits.

The study provides valuable insight into how video collaboration is transforming the way people work and communicate. While not everyone has access to telepresence and video conferencing yet, it is clear that there is demand. This demand coupled with the significantly improved and diversified technology, and declining costs make a strong case for the projected market growth. It is only a matter of time before workers who don’t have access to the technology, or only have the occasional opportunity to use it, can experience the many benefits of the visually enabled workplace everyday.

Combine this technology with the cloud, apps and the Google TV platform and you have for yourself, a most compelling case for the future virtualization of business. The key takeaways of the study are as follows:

• There are significant gaps between user and nonuser perceptions of the benefits of telepresence and video conferencing. For example, 90% of frequent users say the technologies save them at least two hours of valuable work time a week; yet only 1/3 of nonusers believed they could save any time using the technology.

• Both users and nonusers recognize the value of video collaboration technologies, but workers who frequently use telepresence and video conferencing overwhelmingly value a wider swath of benefits that are more evident from usage – proving seeing is believing. Find out how respondents ranked the top benefits here.

• The perception and use of telepresence and video conferencing varies widely among nations, with workers in China consistently ranking highest in terms of usage and perceived benefits.

The complete study on the benefits of business telepresence collaboration can be viewed here

Apps for Google TV [VIDEO]

In-depth analysis: Nielsen’s new Media-Sync Platform

ABC's My Generation Sync iPad app is going to fundamentally change the way consumers interact with TV programs and advertisements.

If you read my earlier post Are Social TV check-ins the ratings future? the most powerful social opportunities for television programming will be related to specific compelling elements of individual TV shows. Whether it’s sharing comments and interacting with other viewers, or unlocking related content and additional engagement opportunities within and between social networks.

That's just what Nielsen’s new Media-Sync Platform does, allowing mobile applications to automatically detect and synchronize TV programming, the app will enhance the experience of watching “My Generation” by providing synchronized interactive content and social media functionality on the iPad with your TV screen. Now available in the Apple iTunes App Store, the app allows fans of the new ABC series to unlock content and features, as well as connect in real-time with other viewers of the program through social networks.

As a result, we expect more ad dollars to begin to shift into in-app advertising, purchasing and payments inside TV platforms.

This is great innovation coming from Nielsen's, whose heritage is built on being the authority in media measurement and audience behaviour.

Nokia brings 'touch' to your TV

The Nokia Plug and Touch, is truly a fantastic futuristic app that can turn your old TV into a touchscreen wonder.

Debuting at Nokia World 2010 last week, Plug and Touch uses the camera in a Nokia N8 smart phone as a motion sensor. It takes photos at 10 frames per second, with a built-in handset processor for tracking. If you stay in one place for a certain time – with your finger hovering for longer than 0.5 seconds, for instance, the phone works out that you’re trying to press an embedded feature on-screen. It’s also possible to scroll, and carry out all the usual functions of an apps based handset on your television.

We expect touchscreen apps and embedded touchscreen features on connected TV's to play a big role in driving connected TV ad revenues for T-commerce in all television programs, home banking, home shopping, eLearning and other retail service applications.

Turning On The TV App Economy

With tens of thousands of apps ready to be unleashed via Android/GoogleTV, iTunes/AppleTV and now Samsung's TV app store, the fight is surely on. One thing's for sure, the winners in the TV app economy are going to be those who can hit critical mass first.

Right now, who gets to control the operating system of television's future is anyone's guess, the field is wide open and the battle has only just begun.

Samsung's effort to tap the creative talents of technology and entertainment companies underscores how the app store craze, sparked by Apple in the mobile-phone market, is shifting into a new phase in the living room.

Google TV is angling to become an even bigger player, based on its Android software for smart phones that will let viewers search for Web video and run Internet apps inside TV shows. Sony is Google's chief screen partner to incorporate the technology.

For now, until we hear more from its widely publicized media event tomorrow, Apple TV is favored to revamp its set-top device with TV apps.

For more information, please see our April report on Internet-to-TV Strategies for Brands.

Are Social TV Check-ins the Ratings Future?

The recent check-in craze has got me thinking, if all entertainment is connected [books, TV shows, movies, music and games] - are social check-ins the ratings future?

Every day, millions of consumers converse in online communities, discussion boards, blogs and social networks. They turn to the Internet to share opinions, advice and recommendations to their friends.

With broadcasters increasingly using social media to engage with audiences and create online buzz around their shows in the hope of boosting viewing figures and advertising revenue, check-ins look like playing a greater role in the success or failure of a TV pilot and or Web series. Networks not only see value in check-in data but also opportunity in check-in behavior. User profiles also make advertising and product placement in shows more addressable.

Currently the Nielsen TV/Internet Data Fusion service integrates the Nielsen National People Meter Panel with the Nielsen Online panel through the use of common data elements to provide a consumer-centric view of media usage. The service does its best to provide a median formula of audience share across three-screen viewing, but my guess is we'll start to see more use of TV check-ins not only by Nielsens, but the networks as well.

Facebook Live: Social Video on Facebook

The new Facebook Live channel which has begun airing a series of live video interviews of special guests [such as actress America Ferrera] incorporates Facebook’s real time live feed technology, similar to CNN Live’s use of Facebook Connect, streams status updates of Facebook users in a sidebar to the right of the live video event, most notably used during President Barrack Obama’s inauguration.

Another cool Social TV feature to be incorporated into the app is the “Ask a question” feature, which will allow viewers to actually submit their questions in real-time to the moderator, or update their status and chat with each other.

Facebook Live will exist as an app that can be easily added to any Facebook page, where it has the capability of streaming live on multiple pages, simultaneously. This feature shall actually empower and allow Page Operators (that is the businesses, brands and other commercially-minded users) to draw more aficionados towards them by taking the advantage of this platform provided by Facebook.

Another major attraction of this app, as identified by Facebook, is “When “special guests” stop by Facebook, like Hollywood celebs or musicians, for example, those running celebrity, TV, movie or music-focused Facebook Pages could use the app on their own Page to the benefit of their fans.” The Facebook Live widget page, which has been hosted by livestream.com, has got some great looks which suggest that different kinds of embeds shall be available, including the Player widget, the Video Library widget and the Chat widget.

In addition to Facebook itself, users are also entitled to share videos on Twitter, Google Buzz, MySpace, Delicious, Digg and via email with special sharing buttons. A shortened URL (http://livestre.am/xyz) will also be provided. Facebook has also confirmed that the videos which have been streamed on Facebook Live, will be archived and distributed as future reference materials.

The live video channel will also be used for official Facebook announcements, press events, live chats with Facebook engineers and live streaming of its developer conference, f8.

First Look: "Buy Now" In-App Product Placement

That's right, that's Jamie Oliver and he wants you to buy the brand of product he's using to knock up his d'lish dish.

The brands that appear in the show, also happen to be the sponsors. You can also buy Jamie's latest DVD. In fact, every single product you see in this frame can be rollover activated with buy now buttons, shopping cart and checkout, built into the original application that helped launch the TV episode from your iPad. A mirror application also sits on your connected TV and that sound you just heard was the bill of receipt sent to your iPhone. This is t-commerce and it's going to revolutionize the broadcast television business model and usher in an explosion in connected TV revenues for broadcasters, producers and advertisers.

Social TV Check-Ins, Rewards and "Buy Now" Buttons

Television networks are now using social media and their websites to create rewards programs for viewers. NBC, ABC Family and USA Network have launched such programs since May.

All three networks have similar goals – to steer traffic to their websites and to encourage fans to post content about their favorite shows on social media portals.

In May, NBC launched its “Fan It” program, which rewards viewers who earn points by discussing shows on Facebook and Twitter or by commenting on articles on NBC.com. Consumers can win a walk-on role in the upcoming network series The Event, Emmy Awards red-carpet bleacher tickets and autographed items from shows.

ABC Family created a loyalty program in June for the series Pretty Little Liars. It enables consumers to redeem points, which can be earned through its website or by posting to social media sites, for virtual goods or access to exclusive videos, photos and other content.

USA's “Character Rewards” program allows Psych fans to win show-branded merchandise and gift cards in exchange for viewing online content or reposting items to Facebook and Twitter. The network is planning to extend the program to all of its series over the next year. USA also raised awareness of the initiative by e-mailing consumers in its database, as well as the databases of its sister NBC Universal networks, and by using Facebook and Twitter.

Networks are clamoring to take part in the television show checkin trend too.

AdaptiveBlue CEO Alex Iskold confidently reports that GetGlue is “working with over a dozen top entertainment brands including HBO, Showtime, PBS, Random House, Penguin, Universal, Warner Bros, and more.” Networks not only see value in checkin data but opportunity in checkin behavior.

For instance, when it came to the season finale of The Bachelorette, Philo was able to pinpoint exactly when engagement levels spiked on the service and ascertain that audiences appreciated Ally’s decision to break with the formulaic nature of finale show.

Of course, networks are also interested because they see an opportunity to truly engage viewers and create a cycle that keeps audiences tuning in each week. The ultimate end game is to boost ratings, and apps like Miso, GetGlue and Philo have the potential to help them do just that.

As this shift continues to gather pace, one can expect that Google TV, Best Buy, Amazon, Apple TV, YouTube, Paypal, Project Canvas, Delivery Agent, EDS, Canoe Ventures and others will all participate in the race to help make instant transactions "in-program" possible.

Social TV Start-Ups Pitch for PepsiCo10

Social TV start-ups were well represented as finalists in PepsiCo's program to identify and incubate up to 10 promising start-ups in technology, media and communications in New York last week.

Miso, a self-described “Foursquare for TV,” lets users check in to television shows and earn rewards and badges the more they do it. The company sees itself aligning with television programs and brands like PepsiCo - something Foursquare is already doing to an extent with a number of its media partnerships.

Spot411 is also looking to add social elements to TV viewing on the second screen, except it identifies what’s playing by listening to the audio of the programming, effectively checking in users on its own. Certain keywords in the programming could then trigger brand integrations.

Taking a slightly different approach to social television is i.tv, which is looking to aggregate conversations happening around shows. What makes its technology unique is the ability to pinpoint exact points within a show and align them with the relevant tweets and status updates, letting users experience the same conversations no matter what time they watch. The company sees potential tie-ins with messages from sponsors; for instance, one of Gatorade’s sponsored athletes could be part of the conversation during sporting events.

Visit PepsiCo10

Clicker Turns On Social TV

One of the most significant features of Clicker Social is the ability to “check-in” to TV shows that users are watching on the Web. In addition to check-ins, users can comment on and rate shows and movies as well as create multiple playlists of shows, videos and movies. All of these actions are aggregated within an activity feed on the user’s Clicker profile. And as a bonus, Clicker users can now earn awards from content partners [Revision3, HBO, and PBS] for sharing or interacting with their content. The more users share and interact with content on Clicker, the more status they will gain within the Clicker community. Clicker says that these ‘experts’ will be rewarded with the ability to guide the content and discussions on Clicker.

The launch of the startup’s iPhone and Android apps offer the same functionality, allowing users to search for programs to watch on their device, add shows to their playlist, manage their profile, check out their activity feed, check-in to shows and earn awards for things they’re watching offline, discuss shows with other Clicker users, and more.

Why 'Old Spice' is the new Social TV

Assembling a team of creatives, tech geeks, marketers and writers gathered in an undisclosed location in Portland, Oregon yesterday produced 87 short comedic YouTube videos about Old Spice, the award winning Wieden + Kennedy ad created for P&G's Old Spice brand starring actor and former NFL athlete Isaiah Mustafa. They have leveraged YouTube, Twitter, Facebook, Reddit and blogs to create the kind of buzz strategists can only dream about.

The online Old Spice team has a community manager, a social media strategist, a couple of technical people, a producer and they've built an application that scans the Internet looking for mentions that allows the team to look and respond to social influencers in real time. If you tweet @OldSpice a question, he’ll make a video. In the last 24 hours, we count 117 new Old Spice videos. Every one in response to a Tweet. Like this one to Twitter co-founder Biz Stone @biz