Is video is the next great frontier in online consumer media? Music has been for the most part done ... video seems to be the new "hot" space. Everyone from the movie studios to high tech companies to eTailers are clammoring to figure out how to address the consumer appetite for online video that has been fueled by sites like www.itunes.com , www.youtube.com and of course peer to peer sites such as www.limewire.com
Comscore recently reported that in the US users are now spending approx 100 hrs/ month watching online video. From a user-perspective I wonder how long will it take for companies to "get" that the video player is the center of the online video user experience? When will we see some true innovation with the player? Online video players seem to fall into two camps: basic and immersive experience.
BASIC VIDEO PLAYERS: Light interaction and design. Focused on playing of content. Examples: myspace, you tube, CNN
IMMERSIVE VIDEO PLAYERS: Heavy in interaction (browsing and collecting content). Maximize the video content experience. Examples: ESPN 360, VH1 Hotspot, MTV Overdrive.
THE FUTURE: Ideally the next-gen online video player experience will allow me to browse, collect content, communicate and share while allowing me to transact and export to any device I want to view it on. All while giving me that flawless, cinematic experience that we are all looking for.
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