Apple iTV Threatens to Re-Write Industry | Jeff Kagan Tech Analyst

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Jeff Kagan

Tech Analyst

     

The coming Apple iTV, or whatever it will be called, may re-write the entire television industry. That is both a threat and a promise depending whether you are an exciting competitor or one of the new Wave of companies.

The traditional television Wave is passing us by, and the next Wave is just beginning. Everything could and will likely change over the next several years.

Just like the iPod re-wrote the music industry, the iPhone re-wrote the wireless telephone business and the iPad re-wrote the computer business, this next iTV threatens and promises to re-write the television industry.

This innovative re-write threatens existing companies and leaders. It transforms the entire model and economics of the industry.

Companies like Apple and their partners do very well. Other companies struggle for a while before they can either transform or whither.

What will the new iTV world look like? Who will it threaten? What does this mean for the competitive marketplace? What does this mean for investments?

Everything is about to change.

Traditional cable television companies like Comcast, Time Warner and Cox are in Apple’s crosshairs right now. Their existing model will be turned on it’s head and it will be increasingly difficult for them to continue as is.

So are new IPTV competitors like AT&T uVerse and Verizon FiOS. These were the innovative new competitors a few short years ago.

So are satellite television companies like DISH and DirecTV.

So are newer competitors like Netflix, Hulu and others.

So are the many traditional television networks like NBC, ABC, CBS and all the cable television networks.

The economics of the entire television industry will be upended and transformed. We have seen this happen before, several times in several industries.

Many companies will not be able to bend and will break. Many others will try and bend and do so partially. A few may make the transformation.

Some of the big winners will be television set makers bringing new technology to the marketplace. There will be plenty of losers as well.

We don’t yet know how successful Apple will be. They don’t win every time they try. Although they have in the last decade haven’t they.

I have been talking about the broken television industry and how it needs to be re-written. This may be the straw that breaks the camels back.

It will be painful to watch, but will also be very interesting. Some companies will be on the new, growing side of the Wave which I talk about, and others will be on the falling side. Workers, investors and customers will want to be aware of who is where so they can make their decisions.

There will be new winners and new losers in the investment angle.

There will be quite a bit of pushback from existing players. That has never stopped Apple before. Another interesting angle.

It will be very interesting to follow and try to predict what is coming next. Stay tuned.

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These comments may be quoted in news stories.

Please attribute to Jeff Kagan, Tech Analyst with www.jeffKAGAN.com

If you would like to discuss, call me at 770-579-5810 or send an email to jeff@JeffKAGAN.com

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Jeff KAGAN| Tech Analyst www.jeffKAGAN.com

Analyst sharing perspective on the changing industry for 25 years

~ Also Columnist, Author, Consultant, Speaker
~ Column http://www.ectnews.com/perl/section/jeff_kagan/

Phone 770-579-5810 Email jeff@jeffKAGAN.com

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