AOL Drops Fees, Offers 5 GB Free Storage

mmatty (apparently) - 01:50pm Aug 14, 2006 PST
via email

After reading Glenn's great article in this week's TidBITS, I'd like
to add some observations on what could have favorable implications
for Apple's video iPod sales.

Time/Warner is in the content business, and they've got film, video,
news and music in spades - CNN, Cartoon Network, Turner, HBO,
Showtime, etc., and they've got established relationships with
Nickelodeon, Comedy Central, A&E, ABC, CBS, to name just a few.
They've got a ton of video on demand stuff on AOL's video site, and
in the coming weeks will add many more channels of downloadable
content (though the free stuff I looked at was streamed) - including
full versions of TV programs, some free and ad supported, some paid.
I took a quick look at the video content they've got up there now,
and it's amazing - I'd even go back (and I have been visiting AOL
Music rather regularly).

Google, Yahoo & Microsoft are all trying to build online video
distribution businesses, but they will be dependent on forming
alliances with content producers, and if any of them decide to sell
video online, they'd have to build a retail base - something which
Apple has in place with the iTunes store.

They've also launched a competitive service to YouTube service for
homespun video entertainment.

Combined with the online popular music video content they already
distribute online, AOL has a chance of convincing younger, more
affluent and educated audiences that it's no longer the way Grandma
and Grandpa get online.

The question... will all this content be playable on video iPods? And
will video iPod users want to watch the commercials?

Marilyn