Apple TV might soon give Facebook and Twitter users their 15 seconds of fame.
What do you get if you mix together Apple TV, Disney, CNBC, Facebook and Twitter? According to Global Equities Research analyst Trip Chowdhry: “Social TV”.
Following a series of interviews with Apple developers, Chaudhry seems to have drawn his own conclusions on what Apple Inc. plans to do with Apple TV in the near future.
Most developers have reported Apple opening up its platform, to include social integration from Facebook, Twitter, CNBC and the Disney Channel. The practice of introducing Tweets and Facebook status updates from users to the big screen is not a new thing, and most recently, even social network Google Plus has made an appearance, on FOX’s The X Factor, offering a way to vote contestants online.
Rumors of an updated Apple TV, along with what seems to be a dedicated Apple TV app store, have been floating around for some time, and if any credit can be given to Chowdhry's leads, Facebook and Twitter users are likely to get their 15 seconds of fame, with a little help from CNBC and Disney.
Having said that, does it mean an Apple TV announcement this week? Not really, but it’s one logical direction for Apple to go, since Apple TV sales have been very strong compared to ROKU, which is an indication that the market is ripe for media streaming devices.
The market is also becoming very crowded, with competing platforms shooting for the low-end of the market, such as Google Chromecast, and Amazon Fire TV. This also means it’s time to raise the bar and offer a premium streaming experience.
If this is indeed what Apple wants to do, social integration could work two ways, which would entail user posts displayed during shows, as well as advertisers programming embedded in Tweets and Facebook posts, set to appear at certain times.
According to Nielsen’s research, the result of displaying live Tweets during a televised program on the audience is still difficult to determine, but there is evidence in support of further development, suggesting younger audience could be key, and the reason for Disney’s consideration.
CNBC is a company with a sizable investment in Facebook and Twitter advertising, which makes it an ideal partner, should Chowdhry’s assumption be correct.