NBC has struck the most recent blow in the on-going, extremely catty break-up between the media giant and Apple, announcing it in November it would enable consumers to download “many of its most popular programs” for free. Provided they watch embedded ads that can’t be removed. On their computers. Within seven days of the air-date. When they self-destruct. No, I’m not kidding. As BuzzSugar puts it:
- The video will only work for a week after the episodes are broadcast.
- Only a limited number of shows will be available at the start, but at least they’re generally good ones: “Heroes,” “The Office,” “Life,” “Bionic Woman,” “30 Rock,” “Friday Night Lights,” “Late Night with Conan O’Brien” and “The Tonight Show with Jay Leno.”
- The content won’t be available to Mac users (um, take that, Apple?)
Now that’s got to have Apple quaking in its boots — the return of the original DiVX technology plan! Best of all, it’s Windows-only! So great! NBC does claim that its downloads will soon be compatible with iPods and Macs, and that it will eventually offer ad-free downloads that will be transferrable to other devices, but not until mid-2008.
Still, this is a fascinating twist. I can’t wait to see what comes next. The video download market is nowhere near as locked up as music is.
(Thanks, Kimra and Andrew!)
Pete Mortensen is a design strategist for consulting firm Jump Associates and the co-author of Wired to Care: How Companies Prosper When They Create Widespread Empathy, a book and blog that are significantly more interesting than you might initially think. Pete’s particular Apple avocations are both around design–interface and industrial. Follow him on Twitter!
