The Latest in Online Video: Personal Cloud, and Lots of Ads
A noteworthy online video update crosses the wire by the day, but today was an exception – three major companies, including Vudu, HTC and TubeMogul – had some very big news.
Starting with Vudu, the WalMart-owned on-demand video service raised the bar in its competition with Amazon, announcing that users can now stream video via the web. Vudu.com now features the same content library (with a standard-definition limitations due to studio restrictions) and same pricing.
Vudu is pushing hard to get a foothold in every corner of the personal cloud, and already supports over 300 ‘VUDU-enabled’ CE devices. Nevertheless, the service is still working hard to expand its turf according to general manager Edward Lichty:
“Any device that can connect to the Internet is something we want to be on.” When asked specifically about products like the iPad, he replied that he suspects you’ll be seeing Vudu on tablets this year…”
In addition to Wal-Mart, HTC is also investing in video streaming. A few months after the acquisition of Saffron Digital, the phonemaker unveiled HTC Watch. Watch is a video streaming service that will send videos over WiFi and 3G. This eliminates the need to download the actual videos, and enables users to start streaming immedatley upon request. There are currently only a few hundred titles available via the Watch application, but HTC is working on growing its partner base.
Last but not least, online video analytics and adverting company TubeMogul has shifted its focus. The company is now solely focused to online video advertising and its online video ad network PlayTime, which also got the company $10 million in funding last October. TubeMogul’s “demand-side platform” also provides ad analytics as well as the ability to selectively place video ads on specific sites and facilitate existing advertising partnerships.
Over at the mobile video front, Fring has launched a limited beta of a mobile group calling app a few days ago. And, while WalMart may be trying to take on Apple and Netflix, the newly launched Amazon Prime is another factor Vudu has to face.
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