
YouView Internet TV service launches in UK - iProject
http://www.bbc.com/news/technology-18699924
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josephlord
They have spent $100Million (£70M) on this platform and while it is probably
better than Google TV but its not going to have a major market impact (even in
the UK) as a whole but it might have some nice features worth borrowing.

The main thing preventing it having an impact is that is essentially the wrong
product. The market for >£200 digital boxes is just too small and completely
dwarfed by the TV market. Samsung, LG, Sony and Panasonic will each sell many
more TVs each year than the total size of the >£200 PVR market and even if
only 30% connect to their Internet platforms they will all still be bigger
platforms and more attractive to content than Youview (despite its greater
flexibility).

The other problem is that Youview is two and half years late (originally named
Project Canvas and planned for November 2009) and it has missed virtually the
entire country completing the Digital Switchover (analogue switch off), 3
Christmas sales peaks, 1 World Cup (soccer) sales peak, 1 Euro Cup (soccer)
sales peak and now will be going on sale at the exact time the Olmypics starts
without the retailers having time to get ready. Also gadget spend is
increasingly moving to tablets rather than TV boxes at the moment.

I also have very serious doubts about UK retailers ability to sell this. Most
can't get TV aerial signals OR even Internet connections into the TV areas of
their stores. Most PVR type products sit on shelves not connected to TVs and
can't be demonstrated.

It has two chances of any traction: BT and Talk Talk, (significant Telcos)
will use it for their TV platforms. Talk Talk hasn't even entered the market
yet and BT has been trying for years almost giving away boxes with phone
service but has little over half a million subs(may be slightly old figure)
compared with 10M using Freeview (OTA), 10M using Sky (pay satellite) and 5M
using Virgin (cable). If they make a competent go at the market and heavily
subsidise it the total Youview platform could conceivably reach 1M.

The other chance it has is if a profile can be developed suitable for TVs
(without HDD) and a major player in the TV market can be persuaded to include
across their range they could really ramp up the numbers.

