Apps on Apple TV could allow for Periscope-style feedback to live broadcasts, says Apple Senior VP Eddy Cue in a new interview with CNNMoney‘s Brian Stelter.
That’s one of the most fascinating points raised in a short conversation about Apple’s streaming set-top box ambitions, which also touches on a number of other topics — including Apple’s plans to make original Netflix-style content for Apple TV.
Cue says that the existence of a dedicated App Store and Apple TV’s smart remote, “allows people like ESPN and CNN to create incredible apps that can not just be for viewing live, but can make it interactive. If someone’s watching this interview, the app could do things like let people give it a thumbs-up or a thumbs-down. You’re on air live. If you were getting feedback from customers, they might be asking for more information, or driving it in a different way.”
“So you might do a longer segment if people are really reacting strongly to what the guest is saying?” Stelter asks.
“That’s right,” Cue responds. “And there’s no way to do that today, but the technology’s there, and this is the first time that it’s going to be available on a TV.”
It’s a fascinating observation which could fundamentally change TV. Anyone who has used Periscope and tailored what they are doing according to “likes” on-screen knows how much user feedback can help shape a broadcast. While live TV is a lot more fixed than a Periscope stream, the idea of constant feedback requests on the part of users opens up some intriguing use-cases.
Over the past few years we’ve gotten used to staring at multiple screens at once, with our TVs serving as non-interactive background noise while we surf and interact using our iPads or iPhones.
Adding an element of user participation into TV — whether it’s “liking” particular characters in a drama, which could indicate to writers and producers what is working and what’s not, or quickly offering your opinion on a TV poll about a particular topic — I can really see working well.
As for Apple’s original programming ambitions, Cue plays it safe, saying that, “We love working with our partners. We’re great at technology, and they’re great at creating content. We think that’s a great partnership to have.” For now, right?
You can check out part one of Cue’s CNNMoney interview here, and part two here.
Via: The Loop
