This paper discusses efforts to bring interactivity to television through "appified" TV. It argues that current interactive TV is limiting due to closed platforms and slow iteration. The paper envisions dispersing TV rendering and interactivity across multiple screens through automated content synchronization and apps. This would make TV more like the web, allowing familiar ways for studios, networks and third parties to create, publish and iterate TV apps. Ongoing work includes characterizing TV apps and developing an app framework and techniques for auto-configuring UI across contexts. The goal is to retain the lightweight experience of traditional TV while bringing more interactivity through an "appified" model.
2. Betaworks WWW 2012 : Workshop on Appification of the Web Page 2
TV is ..
Just works
Turns on in an instant
Others will have watched what I watch
Episodic ; Structured
Not demanding
Future of Television Workshop, MIT Media Lab 2011
4/23/12
3. Betaworks WWW 2012 : Workshop on Appification of the Web Page 3
TV is ..
4B users
Just works
Turns on in an instant
Others will have watched what I
$70B ad rev
watch
Episodic ; Structured
Not demanding
needs interactivity
to grow
4/23/12
4. Betaworks WWW 2012 : Workshop on Appification of the Web Page 4
Users want interactive TV ..
THR Study 2012
4/23/12
5. Betaworks WWW 2012 : Workshop on Appification of the Web Page 5
Interactivity on TV = Limiting
content
Developer View
quirky s/w platforms
!open ecosystem
low middleware headroom
slow iteration
device
4/23/12
6. Betaworks WWW 2012 : Workshop on Appification of the Web Page 6
Interactive TV. Dispersion across screens
behind Moore’s
rendering
separate &
Automated
synchronize
Content
Reco. (ACR)
Other.
beyond
Moore’s
interactivity
4/23/12
7. Betaworks WWW 2012 : Workshop on Appification of the Web Page 7
Interactive TV. Atomization into Apps
studio
mso
No new learning curve
studio host
cast
Familiar & fast ways to
create | publish | iterate capability
player
fans
Own analytics & customer
3rd pty
8. Betaworks WWW 2012 : Workshop on Appification of the Web Page 8
Dual Screen adoption?
2011. 200-250 apps (Android+iOS)
2012. ~1500, 2/3rd social
2.2 M viewers
Nielsen
100 K dual screen users (week 1)
500 K plays
GigaOm. TV Apps: Evolution
from Novelty to Mainstream
with promising content
proof pts ..
Pervasive Multitasking growing TV app population
4/23/12
9. Betaworks WWW 2012 : Workshop on Appification of the Web Page 9
this paper ..
Growing app population
Limited user attention
studio
mso
studio host
Just works
Retaining the
Turns on in an instant
cast
lightweightness of TV
Others will have watched what I
watch
player
in an appified world.
Episodic ; Structured
fans
Not demanding
3rd pty