Since the unveiling of Zeebox in August 2011, it was been championed as the “future of TV”. The app’s own description on iTunes boasts;
- "it's brilliant. App of the week”- The Sun
- "5 stars" - T3
- "I can't recall the last time I've been so excited about an iPad app" - The Huffington Post
- "Zeebox may change everything about the way we watch TV forever" - Stephen Fry
But, is Zeebox really that great? Does it have many commercial opportunities and does it impact TV habits?
At first glance, it appears simply as an interactive TV guide available on smartphones, iPads and laptops. However the social aspect by linking your social media accounts allows the user to see trends, what other friends are watching, invite friends to watch programmes and chat about it. Zeebox also easily links to additional information on what you are watching such as the actors, soundtrack or Wikipedia page.
This short ITV clip shows some of the important features:
What Zeebox offers is not radically different from interactions you can already do with a laptop, facebook and twitter account. However, by allowing interaction with brands in real time, it effectively allows instant purchasing, and potentially measurement, of ads and product placement. In fact 59% of the UK population are ‘often’ or ‘almost always’ using their laptops, mobiles or tablets to communicate digitally whilst watch watching TV, so it is touching on a popular activity.
The challenge is for this activity to happen within the Zeebox app. But with a partnership with Sky spurring on around 15,000 new signups per hour, TV interaction might just shift within the walls of Zeebox.
Zeebox is unlikely to change TV habits. It simply reflects the current habits and interactions with TV and online. But it is likely to provide a suitable ground for TV discussion, brand space and for commercial measurement. Success will ultimately depend on how many signup and then actively use the application.
Paul Barnes
Media Analyst
We're living in exciting times for TV. Cables are losing customers and need new ways to encourage subscribers. Great minds envision we'll be watching TV on many devices like iPads or laptops. This is already happening in small scale (like Zeebox). Startups around the globe work on hundreds of second-screen apps that make your viewing experience more social. I believe all these are great, especially for the geeks. But 90% of the TV viewing experience will stay on TV, anyway.
ReplyDeleteI wrote the whole article on the subject on my blog so you're welcome to give it a glance: http://borys.musielak.eu/new-project-resurrect-tv
Thanks for your comment michuk. We like your blog post- totally agree that a more personal TV experience is the future.
ReplyDeleteZeebox is unlikely to change TV habits. It simply reflects the current habits and interactions with TV and online. But it is likely to provide a suitable ground for TV discussion, brand space and for commercial measurement. Success will ultimately depend on how many signup and then actively use the application.
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