Happy Friday!
Sometimes it's good to reflect on the positivity of our industry. We enjoyed reading through these inspirational quotes gathered by World Television Day, but this one from Kofi Annan resonated the most this week.
“Television can be a tremendous force for good. It can educate great numbers of people about the world around them. It can show us how much we have in common with our neighbours, near and far. And, it can shed light on the dark corners, where ignorance and hatred fester. The television industry is also in a unique position to promote mutual understanding and tolerance – with content that tells the stories not just about the powerful, but about the powerless, and not just about life in the world’s richest pockets, but also in the developing countries that are home to the majority of the world’s population."
Top Pick
How to make VR that people really, really like (hint: don't forget the kittens)
Last year, when the Sundance Film Festival integrated VR as part its New Frontier showcase of cutting edge film, art and technology, it was a chance for VR to appeal to a whole new audience. There's been no question that the platform is making strides with content as The Verge found out when they visited this year's festival.
Perhaps the most remarkable of all VR video at the festival, and certainly the one garnering the most acclaim, was Tyler Hurd's Chocolate, a music video to the song Chocolate by Giraffage, which Hurd produced with Viacom Next.
In a short, but wide-ranging interview with Forbes, Hurd talks about the concept of Chocolate in his own words:
"Your hands transform into cannons and cute little kitties come out."
as well as useful insights into how the human brain reacts to VR, its therapeutic value and what makes for an effective VR experience.
Features
Designing media apps for 'Generation Z'
Product design agency WillowTree have published a useful article on designing TV apps for 3-12 year olds. In addition to describing best practices for user testing with kids, they've shared some of their key findings:
- (How) kids use their hands
- Not all kids understand the concept of seasons
- Kids search differently
Future of TV
Facebook is reportedly making an app for set-top TV boxes
The Wall Street Journal reports that Facebook has been building the app, which would be available for boxes such as Apple TV. It is also talking to media companies about licensing TV-quality shows to be available on the app, the Journal reported, part of a long-term strategy to make video the center of the platform.
TV[R]EV's Alan Wolk shares some thoughts on how Facebook should improve its content discovery to provide a video destination that viewers really want to visit.
The FCC won’t force cable companies to unlock their set-top boxes after all
Google is among a number of companies that have been supporting a plan to require pay TV operators to 'unlock' their set-top boxes. The plan would theoretically allow 'anyone to create their own version of a set-top box that would sit on top of a pay TV provider’s network'. But for now the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) have dropped the proposal.
At Rerun we think it's a bold attempt by Google to take on the cable TV industry and expand its Android TV operation. If such a request was approved by the FCC, we could see versions of an Android TV OS freely built on top of Comcast or other TV boxes. For now, Google may have to rethink their approach to TV expansion.
Use of ad-blocking software rises by 30% worldwide
At Rerun we believe the future of advertising involves three things; less ads, clever ads, and more relevant ads. In the digital age, ads are a necessary evil as they help content makers and publishers make money. But due to the over use and abusive of ads it is not surprising to see a widespread use of ad blockers. Ads can also be costly to the viewer as they use mobile data.
'...roughly 11 percent of internet users globally relied on ad blockers to avoid some form of digital advertising last year when surfing the web. That equates to more than 600 million devices, from smartphones to traditional computers.'
This is a problem for not just for advertisers, but the whole ecosystem of content creation. If newspapers or video platforms can't part fund themselves from advertising then the notion of free content or an open internet disappears. The best way for the industry to tackle this problem is to create ads their consumers won't want to block.
Interactive Media
Instagram Stories is stealing Snapchat’s users
Snapchat have filed for its IPO this week, and we at Rerun wonder if Facebook, and particularly Instagram have rained a little on their parade? Anecdotal reports are circulating that Instagram Stories, and Facebook’s incessant efforts to compete, could be a factor in the reported decline of Snapchat usage.
'...according to a dozen analytics providers, social media celebrities, and talent managers...they’ve seen a decline in Snapchat Stories usage since Instagram Stories launched on August 2nd. Most reported declines in Snapchat Stories view counts ranging from 15 to 40 percent, and a reduction in how often they or those they monitor post to Snapchat Stories.'
Hard evidence from talent companies, and analysts is beginning to emerge. But it is likely Snapchat won't respond until after its IPO is finalised, as the company enters the required 'quiet period', during which it can’t publicly comment on its business. Snapchat aims to raise $3 billion as a publicly trading company and it will be interesting to see how it will use these funds to play the field and maintain its social media dominance. Snapchat has been driving innovation across all social platforms in 2016, we're sure we can expect the unexpected from them in 2017. Maybe we will finally see the en masse roll out of Snap Spectacles?!
GoPro re-launching its recalled Karma Drone, but it may be too late
What a difference three months can make.
After recalling its line of aptly named 'Karma' drones in November due to a problem that led some Karma drones to suddenly lose power in flight, the action camera giant is once again taking orders for the product. However, Fast Company's Daniel Terdiman believes that in that three months, GoPro has lost valuable ground to Chinese tech giant DJI. which launched its Mavic Pro drone shortly after GoPro's recall of the Karma drone.
Timing alone, however, isn't the issue. Terdiman is of the opinion that when it comes to features, functionality and affordability, DJI's Mavic Pro beats GoPro's Karma on every level.
Virtual Reality
Facebook lost its Oculus lawsuit and has to pay $500 million
ZeniMax has won part of its $6bn lawsuit against Facebook's Oculus, successfully contesting that Oculus co-founder Palmer Luckey broke an NDA in order to build early prototypes of the Rift headset. Oculus are due to pay $300m of the sum, while former CEO Brendan Iribe is to pay $150m and Luckey $50m. Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg has commented on the result, claiming they're disappointed but that the result is 'not material' to their finances.
ZeniMax, on the other hand, will gladly welcome the $500m. The company owns several of the gaming industry's most successful studios, with smash hits like Fallout 4 that has raked in almost $1bn since its release in 2015. A VR version of that game is already in the works for HTC's Vive, and we can imagine this lawsuit money going towards funding VR adaptations of ZeniMax's other successful franchises. Bad news for the Oculus platform, but good news for gamers and arguably VR itself.
VR's clutch play: Showing Super Bowl highlights in real time
For the first time, football fans will be able to watch Super Bowl highlights in virtual reality.
FOX is partnering with San Francisco-based VR startup, LiveLike, to provide extra coverage of the New England Patriots v. Atlanta Falcons showdown.
This VR project is competing for attention in a very busy and fast moving TV spectacle – one in which viewers are absorbed in live stats, social media and supplementary content to the gameplay, such as the brilliant commercials that companies like Budweiser and Doritos pay a fortune for.
Let’s see if San Francisco’s tech scene can bring some more excitement to TV’s most watched event in the world (because we know the 49ers won’t anytime soon).
Briefs
- Masaya Nakamura—the 'Father of Pac-Man'—dies at 91
- HBO Go now supports Apple’s TV app and single sign-on feature
- Plex acquires Watchup streaming news service in quest to serve all your media
- Apple moves into sports sponsorship with FC Bayern Munich partnership
- Sony’s profit drops 84% to $169M as film business takes $920M write-down
- Social video app Beme shuts down
A review of my new Samsung curved TV: I hate it so much
Nilay Patel (Editor of The Verge) needed to buy a new TV and for a change just decided to go relatively uninformed and buy the 'prettiest' one in the store.
"My wife Becky loudly reminds me of this mistake nearly every time we turn the TV on; she hates this product more than any other half-baked gadget I have forced into our lives. So I asked her to explain why, and she gave me this, which begins with what I can only describe as a vicious character assassination."
It's a vicious but funny article with an important lesson on TV UX and the importance it holds when placed at the center of our living rooms.
"The TV also constantly prompts for Tizen software updates by placing a banner over the top of the display and has advertising in the menus."