Are Streaming Media Players a Passing Fad

Posted by samzenpus on Wednesday May 25, 2011 @07:20AM from the here-today-gone-tomorrow dept.

DeviceGuru writes "In-Stat is questioning whether dedicated streaming media players like the Roku player, Boxee Box, and Google TV boxes will be around for long. The reason, says In-Stat, is that IP-streamed video is becoming a standard feature of TVs and Blu-ray players. Passing fad? Not according to this blog post at DeviceGuru, which argues that we're talking about a disruptive market, not a mature one, and that TVs and Blu-ray players can't possibly provide the flexibility to serve as the platform for delivering rapidly evolving technologies to the early adopters who represent the testbed for all this innovation."

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Let me explain. by blair1q · 2011-05-25 07:28 · Score: 3, Interesting

Your new TV set contains a computer that performs the functions provided by the external box. The firmware for that computer can be reprogrammed. The external box is there only for TVs that can't do that. Soon, all TVs being sold will be able to do that. The boxes will exist only for people who want the function without buying a new TV. Has that business ever been a growth market for any industry where it happens? No.
Ergo, the external box that provides functions that any new TV can provide is not a growth market and is likely a doomed market.
Next question, please.