OPINION: Space for rent: portable video players
If I say “name an mp3 player” what comes to mind? iPod is what most people think of first.
If I say, “name a portable game console” what comes to mind? Sony Playstation Portable (PSP) or Gameboy (Advance or Micro)
Now what if I say “name a portable video player” what comes to mind? Do you have to think about it?
No one owns that space yet.
If (or when) Apple release an iPod video sooner or later as widely expected, the reality is there’s no established player that owns the portable video player (also referred to as the personal video player) market for them to compete with. They could find domination of that market even easier than the MP3 player market.
But is there a market worth anyone going after? Especially Apple? Do people want to watch movies on the go or will it be just a fad? People have been trying to make music portable ever since the invention of the drum, but movies? Where’s the history of people trying to make portable and personal devices for playing them? The portable DVD player is only a recent invention - and is primarily used in cars to keep the kids quiet.
Playing video on the go requires attention. You probably muse as you gaze out the window of the 7:15am city bound whilst the iPod provides a soundtrack to your thoughts. But you can’t do that with video.
Watch this space (it’s for rent). Will Apple fill it? Maybe we’ll have an answer in the next day or so. Interesting times indeed.
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