Verizon Plans to Let Customers Watch Live TV on IPads

[dipsydoodle]

Source: Bloomberg

Verizon Communications Inc., the U.S. phone company trying to win television customers from cable providers, is planning to allow subscribers to its FiOS TV service watch live shows on Apple Inc.’s iPad.

The iPad application will expand a service that lets FiOS users watch on-demand video, such as rented movies, on mobile devices starting next quarter, executives said today at a press conference in New York. The iPad app will be released later.

While the live-TV technology is ready, Verizon is in talks with the companies that own the shows, including CNN and HBO parent Time Warner Inc., about the service that will stream the programs to tablets. The content owners are likely to be more comfortable with allowing the service to work inside the home at first, and expand its reach later on, Verizon said.

“This is why we built FiOS the way we did, and this is why we made the investment,” Verizon Chief Information Officer Shaygan Kheradpir said at the event. “We’ve been waiting for devices that are capable of taking this stream and rendering it beautifully.”

Read more: http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2010-08-18/verizon-to-let-tv-customers-watch-shows-on-phones-including-blackberrys.html

[truthisfreedom]

1. The resolution on the iPad screen is 10 year old technology. It's very ordinary.

There are about as many pixels on the new retina screen iPhone as there are on an iPad. Now THAT's impressive.

[qanda]

2. I can watch any program from my Verizon FIOS now

And I can do it on my phone, my computer and my laptop. Slingbox is wonderful!!!!

[Lance_Boyle]

3. Um, doesn't Verizon fios serve way more than iPads?

Why is this article limited to iPads? Verizon fios serves far more desktops than iPads. Probably even more laptops than desktops. Why the hubbub over iPads connecting to the interwebs via Verizon's fios? Most desktops and laptops also have better screen resolution than the iPad, so this bit, "We’ve been waiting for devices that are capable of taking this stream and rendering it beautifully.” makes the kind of sense that's... not.

[DJ13]

4. Just sign here for our unlimited plan, and bend over

[gauguin57]

5. Two of my friends have just been complaining about recurring problems with Verizon phone/internet

Maybe Verizon should make sure its CURRENT services are working well before branching out.