The "Three Screen Convergence" concept has been getting buzz for years in the telecom and media industry. While all the three screens are important elements in our daily lives now, the TV screen is still quite different from the other two screens - the mobile phone screen and the computer screen. We've all witnessed the abundance of software running on our computers and the exuberance of emerging mobile apps driven by iPhone. But little technological change has happened in the TV industry for decades, merely getting bigger screens and higher resolution.
But the trend of connecting Laptops to TV sets has been heating up, with some industry researches showing that about 70% - 80% US Internet users would like to connect their computers to the TVs. Now rumors suggest that technology giants, such as Google, Intel and Sony, are
gearing up for an early entry in the TV market. As an open platform advocate, Google's Android OS is getting some momentum and its Chrome OS for computer is supposed to be released this year. So is Google going to launch an OS for TV? It remains unclear whether the platform will work on a set-top-box, on a traditional computer or be embedded in the TV sets, but it is highly likely that Google will do something in the lucrative $378 billion TV market, given the common belief that all TV content will be delivered through IP protocol in the future. I would not be surprised if Google simply modifies Chrome OS to fit in the TV environment, making TV as an extension of your computer at home.
No matter how the TV OS is going to be structured, it is vital for the success of the TV OS to have robust apps supporting it. There is no doubt that TV apps will take off quickly once an open TV platform is out in the market, as evidence can be found from the skyrocketing of iPhone apps. "Three Screen Convergence" would be more realistic after we have similar experience on all the three screens.
I can't envision how Google will play out in the TV market given so many uncertainties, but if they can successfully implement their strategy, the extended search presence in TV market would lead Google to a rejuvenation of explosive growth. Meanwhile, the new TV platform could be a disruptive force for the traditional cable industry who merely serves as a pipe for delivering TV content.
I'm pretty sure that a new TV era is dawning very soon, and my next question will be - Where can I download the Doodle Jump app to my TV?
Jia Wu
Client Reading:
Global Audiovisual Market Forecast