Apple Take A Bite Out Of TV

So, Apple are back for another bite at the TV market. As ever, the package looks impressive, but I'm failing to see the market for it beyond anyone who doesn't have access to a video rental or video on demand service.

Nevertheless, it's a serious shot across the bows of Roku and Boxee and a serious threat to services such as Netflix and Lovefilm as well as the ambitions of cablecos and IPTV operators.

It's also a serious platform to expand upon and do other things. More significant to me in yesterday's announcements was that of rolling out Ping, the music social networking platform.

Tomorrow's TV is very likely to go where today's music has gone, and Spotify has revolutionised music consumption (and posed a serious threat to Apple's iTunes in the UK) through its convenience and its social features. Indeed, it has out-Appled Apple and I'm surprised that the M&A guys from Cupertino haven't been calling yet.

So, it's razors and blades for Apple TV - practically give the box away and do to the film and TV industry what they did to the music industry.

Still, it's far from the killer blow to rivals it could have been.