Remember when Friendster was the hot social network, publishers doubted that ebooks would ever sell, and Netflix thought DVDs in red envelopes was the future? We do — that was that state of digital media when paidContent launched in 2002. Read more »
Tablets featured prominently in the connected consumer space, both as a product category and as a component of broader platform strategies by major OS providers Microsoft, Google and Apple. Meanwhile Facebook began laying the groundwork to add payment processing to its platform. Read more at GigaOM Pro »
With the rollout of its massive Xbox Live update, Microsoft has made a strong bid for the pole position in the digital living room. And with dozens of new programming partners also included with the update, the company now offers perhaps the most comprehensive, versatile and ... Read more at GigaOM Pro »
Netflix (NSDQ: NFLX) isn’t alone in changing its subscription media pricing but the response to this one is likely to be a lot less vocal, i… Read more at paidContent »
The television business is on the cusp of the biggest technological upheaval since the introduction of cable TV. The addition of Internet connectivity to living room devices will enable new functionality around programming services, program discovery, social networking, ad targeting and measurement — aspects of the TV viewing experience that have remained largely unchanged for decades. These trends have the potential to become the foundation for new economic models around how viewers pay for video service and how program creation is financed. In this report, we examine the leading contenders’ strategic positioning, relative strengths and weaknesses, and provide the early line on their odds of success. Companies mentioned include Google, Apple, Boxee, Roku, Vudu, Samsung, Microsoft and Sony. To see a full list of companies and to read the full report, sign up for a free trial. Read more at GigaOM Pro »
Microsoft announced a press event next week to launch Windows Phone 7, the highly anticipated platform to help Microsoft regain prominence in the smartphone market. Here’s a run-down on what you can expect from the new devices, who will carry them and what they can do. Read more »
Microsoft announced plans to expand its Zune marketplace overseas and giving users three-screen access to content that they buy on their PCs, Xbox 360 and Windows Phone 7 mobile devices. But the Zune marketplace is doomed to fail because users don’t want another siloed digital storefront. Read more »
J. Allard and Robbie Bach — instrumental in the successes of Microsoft’s Entertainment & Devices Division — are both leaving. For now, Steve Ballmer will have more direct control over this group, which might not be the best move in the long term for Microsoft. Read more »
The worldwide online market for digital goods will grow amid a state of continuous disruption across all forms of content markets. Fueled by an ever-growing user base, migration from physical formats to digital distribution, and a proliferation of new connected devices, the overall market for digital goods will grow to $36 billion by 2014, up from $16.7 billion in 2009. This report examines the state of paid content and the various monetization and payment models across each of the various digital goods markets. The report examines key players and market dynamics in the film and video, newspaper, online game, music and social networks space relative to their paid content strategies, and includes a revenue forecast of each of these segments relative to the overall paid content market. Read more at GigaOM Pro »
Those who follow the smartphone world have longed for a Zune phone. The new Zunes have an interface and hardware that is perfect for a smartphone, but Microsoft has previously said “no way.” That may be changing if this rumor holds up. Read more »
