The dream of watching TV everywhere is alive and well thanks to the likes of Apple (AAPL 0.64%) and Netflix (NFLX 4.17%). And yet, the opportunity also has a dark side, says Fool contributor Tim Beyers in the following video.
Distribution is proving to be uneven. Research from ABI finds that, while a third of U.S. households with cable access are opting for TV everywhere, they most often use tablets or smartphones for streaming. Game consoles don't rate nearly as well, which is bad news for Microsoft (MSFT 1.65%) and other console makers. Mr. Softy's Xbox system streams programming for those who need a break from the controller.
Conversely, ABI's findings help to explain why Apple iTunes supports hundreds of thousands of TV and mobile downloads daily. Expect continued growth from both Apple and Netflix in this area. Others, too.
This is a macro trend, Tim says. Every order-of-magnitude improvement in broadband availability should make it easier for new and existing services that support TV everywhere. Even your lonely game console.
