iPod videos draw a blank with users

Stan Beer
Wednesday, 22 November 2006 16:07

Opinion and Analysis

The news that a Nielsen Media Research survey has turned up the result that Video iPod users hardly ever watch videos on their tiny little screens is hardly surprising. This is no reflection on the quality of the iPod but on the idiocy of the concept that has been peddled for the past few years by the mobility industry that consumers will accept video broadcasts on 3 inch screens.

I remember an interview 12 months ago with Mr Gurion Meltzer, former chairman of Bezeq, Israel's national carrier, who described the push to broadcast TV and movies to 3G mobile phones as sheer nonsense. "Anyone who suggests that people will be happy to watch a movie on a 3 inch screen is fooling themselves. On a laptop, yes. On a mobile phone, definitely no," he said.

Well the Nielsen survey is proof in the pudding that Mr Meltzer was right. Only 2.2% of Video iPod owners in the survey sample actually watch any videos on their relatively expensive larger players - which presumably is what they bought them for in the first place. Mobile phone makers should also take note of that survey.

One can almost hear Microsoft in the background shouting: "Yes that's right! That's why we made the screen on the Zune bigger and brighter than the iPod!" That's a nice attempt but still misses the point. Most people will barely accept a 15 inch laptop or desktop monitor. Videos simply weren't made to be shown on portable music players.

This is not to say that players like the iPod are useless as video devices. With an 80GB hard drive, a Video iPod with a docking station becomes a good way to store and transport all the videos you need that can be played back on a TV when you're away on holidays.