Catch-up TV services may offer the key to successful multi-channel convergence in 2009, according to a new report released today. The 2009 Screen Reality Report from user experience consultancy, Webcredible, predicts that services like iPlayer and 4oD have the potential to become some of the first truly successful multi-channel services, converged across the PC, TV and the mobile.
The concept of multi-channel converged services is nothing new, but many have tried and failed in the past. However, the opportunities for convergence are increasing by the day with new mobile operating systems and platforms emerging and increasing Internet and mobile Internet speeds, and the report predicts that multi-channel catch-up TV services could prove to be one of the first big converged success stories in 2009.
The 2009 Screen Reality Report looks at previous technology-driven attempts at converged services including bringing Internet to the living room TV, mobile video calling and mobile video streaming. It urges companies looking to offer converged services to think first about the context of use and human factors before looking to design such products.
The mobile Internet and catch-up TV services are identified by the report as two of the most successful converged services of recent times. However, the mobile Internet in particular has been very gradual in its take-off and both services, while successfully converging two platforms, have yet to succeed in incorporating the third in a mass-market offering.
Abid Warsi, Senior User Experience Consultant at Webcredible and author of the report said: "In the increasingly ‘On-demand' world we live in it seems that catch-up TV services offer the key to truly successful multi-channel convergence. Already very popular through the PC, many consumers would jump at the chance to be able to use these services through the TV as well, and with larger screen mobile devices like the iPhone now becoming more widespread, the potential is there for mobile too.
"If companies trying to make converged products or services want to avoid some of the previous mistakes, they'll need to consider the context in which they'll be used, take notice of what their users actually want and ensure they continuously involve users throughout the design process."