Time Warner Cable tried to do it and failed at keeping the major programmers happy. So, why wouldn’t another company give it a try? Cablevision Systems Corp. has decided to offer a free iPad application that allows you to view live TV if you are a paying television subscriber.
Time Warner Cable had dropped many popular TV channels over a dispute with some media companies and the right to distribute media through Apple devices. In the meantime, Time Warner has added other channels, but that is not keeping other companies like Cablevision from offering the same type of application to its customers.
Mind you, these applications can only be used inside a customers home, so don’t think you can watch the latest episode of the Bad Girls Club as you walk down the street. Cablevision customers will have access to each and every signal they subscribe to with their regular TV contract. Companies adding apps like this will put pressure on all other media companies to get their content to users on as many devices as possible.
Because cable companies haven’t been able to speed up the process in which to get content to customers via the internet, companies like online video giant, Netflix, are able to creep in and continue to steal subscribers from the cable companies. Taking subscription money from large cable companies is a huge problem because cable companies rely on the huge subscriber bases as a large factor in their revenue.
Cablevision adds they will be adding a remote control feature to the app this summer and also the fact that you will NOT have to have an internet connection to use the app.
Cable is still going to die and Cablevision will most likely be first. Wow, Cablevision customers can now watch the same crappy channels on an overpriced Cable operating system, on the iPad. But ONLY in your home. Big freakin deal.
I watch full movies on NetFlix on my laptop…In and out of my home. Can your app do that Cablevision?
Here’s the answer to Cable:
4G Clearwire Internet Access (WiFi) – $35
NetFlix Subscription – $7.99
FREE TV – $0
TOTAL $42.99
How much are YOU paying for Cable TV, which sucks and they treat you like crap to boot.
I think that offering the app for free is a good business move by Cablevision. The iPad 2 is very popular and it is likely that Cablevision will turn some iPad 2 owners into customers.
I have to give kudos to Cablevision for inventing something more useful than Time Warner’s TV in your homeverywhere. Now Cablevision’s customers have homeverywhere service on 300 channels on their iPad. I suppose it is a fad that will fade like a child that gets a toy on Christmas and ends up being buried at the bottom of the toy bin a week later. I never get tired of my DISH Network employee Sling Adapter that gives me streaming live or DVR recordings on my iPhone. I watch until my eyes bleed some days and never miss a show when my wife is on my case for watching at home too much.