Tuesday, June 5, 2007
Google and Apple consummate relationship
posted by Andy Leff 
I own one mighty crystal ball. Four months after I predicted Google and Apple would join forces for full-length video distribution, the deal has come to pass. (Check out the full story at BusinessWeek.)
Well, it sorta came to pass. I had envisioned entirely Web-based distribution, where audiences could download full-length movies directly to their iPods, and watch them on the go.
Instead, Google and Apple are connecting computers to televisions. The link is Apple's new digital transmitter Apple TV, which puts customers' iTunes libraries -- movies, TV shows, music, and podcasts -- on their TV sets.
Under this new agreement, Apple TV will carry clips from YouTube. This helps the site's fans watch cute puppies, Coke-and-Mentos experiments, and 'Dancing with the Stars' segments from the comfort of their living rooms.
Note the mutual back-scratching here: Google can cross-market even more user-generated content, and Apple can tap the video-sharing site's popularity to stimulate Apple TV sales.
So, while my prediction was not completely realized, this partnership marks another big step in the Google/Apple (Goople? Aggle?) relationship.
In the end, will their total media domination come true? My Magic 8 ball says, "Without a doubt."
Well, it sorta came to pass. I had envisioned entirely Web-based distribution, where audiences could download full-length movies directly to their iPods, and watch them on the go.
Instead, Google and Apple are connecting computers to televisions. The link is Apple's new digital transmitter Apple TV, which puts customers' iTunes libraries -- movies, TV shows, music, and podcasts -- on their TV sets.
Under this new agreement, Apple TV will carry clips from YouTube. This helps the site's fans watch cute puppies, Coke-and-Mentos experiments, and 'Dancing with the Stars' segments from the comfort of their living rooms.
Note the mutual back-scratching here: Google can cross-market even more user-generated content, and Apple can tap the video-sharing site's popularity to stimulate Apple TV sales.
So, while my prediction was not completely realized, this partnership marks another big step in the Google/Apple (Goople? Aggle?) relationship.
In the end, will their total media domination come true? My Magic 8 ball says, "Without a doubt."
Labels: Apple, AppleTV, BusinessWeek, Google
