According to new figures released by Moffett Nathanson Research, the growth of online ads will have a significant impact on traditional television and other media. Analyst Michael Nathanson predicts that ad spending on TV will decrease by 3 percent annually through 2020. He also forecasts that online advertising, led by tech giants Google and Facebook, will increase annually by 12 percent over the next five years and exceed spending for TV ads by 2017. The forecast comes as cable TV ratings are down 9 percent and 566,000 cable and satellite subscribers canceled their service during Q2. Continue reading Research Points to Internet Impacting TV Ratings, Ad Revenue

Shortly after Apple CEO Tim Cook called for bringing more apps to the TV screen, a new report from Flurry notes that consumers spend more time using mobile apps than watching traditional television. “The average U.S. consumer is now spending 198 minutes per day inside apps compared to 168 minutes on TV,” TechCrunch reports. While time spent in apps is on an upswing, time with TV has not changed from Q2 2014 to Q2 2015. The report also examined consumer demand — and willingness to pay — for accessing media content in apps. Netflix, Hulu, HBO Now, Spotify and Pandora are among those performing well in this area.

California Governor Jerry Brown has vetoed California Senate Bill 142, proposed legislation that would require drone users to obtain permission to fly their unmanned aerial systems less than 350 feet over private property. “Drone technology certainly raises novel issues that merit careful examination,” wrote Brown. “This bill, however, while well-intentioned, could expose the occasional hobbyist and the FAA-approved commercial user alike to burdensome litigation and new causes of action.” Tech groups opposed the bill and the CEA applauded the Governor’s decision. Continue reading Governor Brown Vetoes Legislation Restricting Use of Drones

In addition to the iPhone 6S and 6S Plus and next-gen Apple TV set-top box with an emphasis on apps, gaming and shopping, Apple unveiled several compelling new products and updates at its San Francisco event, including a $100 stylus called Apple Pencil, a new iPad Pro with optional keyboard that will likely play to business users, improvements to the Apple Watch (including apps such as Facebook Messenger and AirStrip), and more. For the new iPhones, Apple has notably packed the back-facing iSight cameras with 12 megapixels, a larger sensor designed to reduce image artifacts, and the ability to shoot 4K video. Continue reading Apple Introduces New iPhones, Apple TV, iPad Pro and More

Facebook’s Instagram, which now has 300 million users, is launching self-service ad buying in worldwide markets around the world, starting with more than 30 new countries. Notably, ads will now include video spots up to 30 seconds. Instagram has been slow to sell ads in fear of alienating users. In 2013, it debuted a feature for editing and uploading 15-second videos, a duration that has remained the limit for video ads. “In addition to video ads up to 30 seconds, Instagram also introduced landscape (horizontal) photo and video ads for ‘a more cinematic feel’ and delivery and optimization tools to manage campaigns across Facebook and Instagram,” reports Variety.

Hotel chain Marriott is testing its “VRoom Service” with partner Samsung at the New York Marriott Marquis in Times Square and the London Marriott Hotel Park Lane. The service provides hotel guests with a Samsung Gear VR headset for 24 hours, and three “VR Postcards” commissioned by Marriott. “Those videos, shot in 360-degree 3D, each follow real travelers on a different journeys, taking viewers to Chile’s Andes mountains, an ice-cream shop in Rwanda and Beijing’s bustling streets,” notes Variety. The VR Postcards, created with Framestore’s Virtual Reality Studio, will also “be available via the Samsung Milk VR video service, accessible via the Samsung Gear VR headset developed with Facebook’s Oculus VR division.”

Disney is expanding support for its cloud-based digital movie service on more platforms with the debut of new apps for Amazon Fire tablets, Amazon’s Fire TV and Fire TV Stick, and Microsoft Xbox 360. Apps for Android TV and Roku are expected in a few days. The Disney Movies Anywhere collection currently features more than 450 digital movies from Disney, Marvel and Pixar in addition to Star Wars and short form content. Its new app is now available to Amazon and Microsoft customers, the result of new partnerships between the studio and both companies. Continue reading Disney Movies Anywhere Service Goes Wide on New Platforms

Sources say that Twitter’s Periscope is quietly developing an app for the new Apple TV, which would allow users to watch live Periscope broadcasts on their TVs. Apple is expected to unveil its new set-top box today with an emphasis on casual games and a variety of featured apps from third-party developers, including the Periscope app. “Though we can’t confirm the exact functionality of the app, it’s likely to be focused on watching streams,” suggests TechCrunch. “Periscope made videos viewable on the Web in June without the ability to broadcast, and the Apple TV app could work similarly.”

At the recent IFA trade show in Berlin, LG demonstrated a wallpaper TV, a waved 4K TV and a double-sided OLED TV. The latter was reportedly a big hit with attendees. “The new double-sided TV measures a massive 111 inches although a closer look would reveal that it is actually made of three 65-inch Ultra HD OLED displays,” explains Tech Times. “The display, which is also called Vertically Tiling Display, resembles a room divider that has two folds.” The company also developed a 55-inch version. LG already features OLED technology in many of its curved TVs, its lines of smartwatches and the LG G Flex 2 handset.

NPD Group reports that “connected TV devices” were in 46 million U.S. homes at the end of Q2 2015. That figure represents about half of all U.S. homes with an Internet connection. NPD defines “connected TV device” as one that connects to the Internet and allows the user to access apps (including connected devices such as smart TVs, game consoles, streaming media players and Blu-ray Disc players). According to NPD executive director John Buffone, the 4 million year-over-year jump is attributable to increased sales of smart TVs and a surge of streaming services. Continue reading Half of U.S. Homes with Internet Have Connected TV Devices

Scripps Networks Interactive has partnered with TV Everywhere platform provider Anvato to offer viewers new live streams of the Cooking Channel, DIY Network, Food Network, HGTV and Travel Channel online and via mobile devices. In addition to streaming Scripps programming, Anvato is powering dynamic ad insertion (DAI) on network websites and the Android and iOS apps for Food Network, HGTV and Travel Channel. According to Matt Smith, chief evangelist at Anvato, DAI is becoming more popular as producers look to monetize their digital services. Continue reading TV Everywhere: Scripps Offers Live Streams of Cable Channels

When Apple unveils its next generation Apple TV product this Wednesday at its scheduled event in San Francisco, insiders say videogames will be one of the key selling points. The move marks a departure for Apple TV, which has thus far been marketed as a device for streaming video and music content. The device will reportedly feature the components necessary for generating interest from casual gamers, including more power and a faster processor for improved graphics, a motion-sensitive remote that could also serve as a game controller and an app store for downloading games. Continue reading New Apple TV Could Compete with Traditional Game Consoles

Amazon announced that it has agreed to purchase Elemental Technologies in an all-cash deal valued at about $500 million, marking Amazon’s biggest deal since last year’s $1 billion acquisition of videogame streaming site Twitch. Elemental helps media companies encode and transcode video content for viewing on the Web and via mobile devices. Amazon plans to add Elemental to its Amazon Web Services cloud computing division, one of the company’s faster-growing units. Amazon reportedly beat out both Ericsson AB and Cisco Systems to acquire Elemental. Continue reading Amazon Plans to Acquire Portland-Based Video Formatting Firm

Chip giant Intel recently threw its hat into the quantum computer ring when it announced plans to invest $50 million in Netherlands-based QuTech, an institute launched in 2013 by Delft University of Technology and the Dutch Organization for Applied Research. The investment is part of a planned 10-year collaboration with QuTech. Researchers from leading tech companies such as Google, IBM and Microsoft have been looking to apply quantum physics to computing for a long time. Continue reading Intel Makes a Major Investment in Quantum Computer Research

BlackBerry announced that it plans to acquire Good Technology for $425 million. “Good was an early competitor to BlackBerry in the market for software used by corporations and governments to manage and increase security on employee smartphones,” according to The New York Times. “John S. Chen, BlackBerry’s chief executive, has made dominating that business a key component of rebuilding the company.” While some analysts see potential problems in the costs of merging the two companies’ software, others note that “Good’s technology would allow BlackBerry to improve how its software works with Android phones and Apple iPhones.”