The battle for streaming TV services continues to be quite high these days, between such devices as the Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV and Chromecast. And yet, it’s too soon to declare a winner, as all four seem to be doing remarkably well.
Roku, for instance, has managed to reach the ten million mark after releasing the device six years ago. While that seems like a slow sales number, it’s been catching up quite a bit over the years, especially with the debut of newer models on the market.
Regarding the general market, Apple TV, which has sold over 20 million units and generated a billion dollars for the company, had a share drop from 46 percent to 39 percent over the past year, while Roku dove a bit from 33 percent to 28 percent. Meanwhile, Google’s Chromecast has managed to leave its mark with a 16 percent share since its debut, and Amazon Fire TV no doubt has its share on the market, even though it remains untracked until next quarter.
It just goes to show that the dynamic of television is changing – and Apple’s own Tim Cook was quick to note that. In an interview on The Charlie Rose Show, Cook was quick to blast mainstream TV services. “TV is one of those things that, if we’re really honest, is stuck back in the 70’s,” said Cook on the show. “Think about how much your life has changed. And all the things around you that have changed.
“And yet TV – when you are in your living room to watch the TV or wherever you might be – it almost feels like you’re rewinding the clock, and you’ve entered a time capsule, and you’re going backwards.
“The interface is terrible. I mean it’s awful. And you watch things when the come on, unless you remembered to record them,” he said.
However, Cook believes that the Apple TV can improve over time. “There are lots of things we’d like to work on and have interest in, but we know we can’t do everything great,” he said. “TV is one we continue to have great interest in.” It’s possible Apple may introduce an improved Apple TV as soon as next month, though as yet the company has said nothing about it officially. Rumors continue that at some point we’ll see a new Apple TV with an App Store, though.
What do you think Does the rise of streaming TV have a big effect on general television services
Source: Venturebeat, Variety