Cable Companies All About iPad Remote Apps
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Comcast, Verizon, Time Warner… Most cable and TV providers are talking about fancy iPad program guides and/or remote apps, but not much is available today. This could change soon, as Comcast recently promised its app to be available “very, very soon”, while at the same time, CableLabs, the industry standard body, is helping other cable companies with fewer resources to be able to do the same.
At the Cable-Tec Expo last week, most cable companies were all about getting in on the iPad action. Remote apps able to surf an integrated program guide on the iPad, search for program information, and change channels directly from the touch screen, are really, really close from being launched.
The iPad is seen as a nice addition to the traditional TV experience, and will enable cable companies to offer nice program guides, able to merge linear and on-demand content, intelligent search, and greater programming details. All of a sudden, the idea is to make the iPad the TV’s best companion – and in the process, slow down Netflix incredible growth. Will it work? Maybe, but only if the cable guys manage to offer as much flexibility as what Netflix already offers today.
