For some time now, the status quo among cable providers has been ripe for an evolution, and it seems increasingly likely the next wave in television consumption is imminent. Both Intel and Sony have plans in the works to introduce live-on-demand streaming of television channels to consumers. Though there are lingering doubts about the viability of these systems, something of their ilk is virtually inevitable over the next few years. With it will come both huge advantages to consumers and the potential for a litany of legal issues.
Intel’s service, called OnCue, and currently scheduled for release at some point in 2014, would supply subscribers with the basic bundle of channels they can get from a cable provider, but would allow access on any number of devices, from phones to tablets to flatscreen TVs. It would also allow for some level of customization, including personalized recommendations for every member of the house. Perhaps most importantly, OnCue would record everything on every channel and save it for a period of three days. No more worrying about being able to record multiple shows airing at one time, no more weeping when you forget to record a promising premiere or the return of an old favorite. For three days, literally anything that has aired would remain at your disposal, to watch when and how you wanted.
Yet there are countless problems, legal and organizational, both in getting the product off the ground and in maintaining it once it begins running. Intel has already made some concessions to channel owners (OnCue initially promised to record everything for 30 days, but reduced it when the channel’s pointed out that Neilsen only counts three days of video-on-demand viewing for ratings and thus advertising purposes), and it is likely to encounter opposition from cable behemoths hoping to keep their share of the pie. The possibility of increased customization, like the ability to create your own cable package made up of just the channels you want to receive, also looms heavy over this announcement, though it is unlikely a product like OnCue would offer that service initially. There are plenty of obstacles in the way of this technology, but it is very likely something similar will be on the market in the near future.