Yahoo! Connected TVs to Start Selling Widgets
I wonder if the new AppleTV inspired this? I doubt it, but you have to appreciate the fact of Yahoo! taking a 30% cut in sales. I think the widgets are pretty cool, but am curious to see how this maps out.
Applications currently offered for Connected TV sets are given away free. The programs can generate money from users through transactions such as subscriptions or charging for video downloads…”I think it will open up the world for a lot of other applications,” Schafer said. “Categories that make sense include games; they are easy to use and take advantage of those big, beautiful screens.”
Yahoo! Widgets
I can’t say I find Yahoo! widgets that useful now so hopefully this brings some innovation to the platform. Of course, I think Yahoo! widgets are more for folks who don’t have HTPCs.
I don’t have a Yahoo!
I don’t have a Yahoo! connected tv (since i could care less), but I saw a demo and for people that don’t have a laptop nearby or an HTPC, I can see the use. And yes, i’m mainly basing this on the fantasy football app from yahoo 🙂 but still, personally i’d much rather have my fantasy football full screen on my laptop, and then the game full screen on my tv
but i still think people use them…just not sure they’d pay more for them
I agree. I’m sure someone
I agree. I’m sure someone might use the weather app, fantasy football app, etc. in certain instances, but they are too clunky and disruptive for me.
The most valuable apps on the display are currently in the content apps like Vudu, Netflix, Amazon VOD and Hulu.
And I am not sure most people are buying specifically because of Yahoo! widgets, I think it’s more of a value add. I could care less, but the platform was there (along with the Samsung Apps platform).
When I saw this my first
When I saw this my first thought was “I wonder what happened to Meedio…?”
Agreed – It is a disgrace
Agreed – It is a disgrace that Yahoo allowed a product with such a strong following to die the way it did.