Time Warner Cable CEO Doesn’t Know What AirPlay Is
by Brent Dirks
May 14, 2012
You would think that the CEO of a major media corporation like say, Time Warner Cable, would fully understand the power of AirPlay that is included in iOS devices and the upcoming version of Mac OS X. But you'd be wrong.
According to The New York Times, Glenn A. Britt said on Friday that there is no real way to get Internet content on your television screen easily.
"I'm not sure I know what AirPlay is," he said, though he noted that he was an enthusiastic Apple customer. "Today we want to be on every screen. Today it's a little bit clunky to get programming from the Internet onto the TV — not so hard to get it on your iPad. What's hard is the plumbing, what wires do you connect, what device do you use. So the current Apple TV, the little thing, the hockey puck, really doesn't do anything to help enable you to get Internet material on your TV."It doesn't sound like Britt has been paying much attention to the media landscape around him. As most everyone knows, AirPlay allows users to push content from an iOS device straight to their televisions with Apple TV installed. And apps from content providers like the Discovery Channel, ABC, and PBS allow users to stream television directly from the Internet, which Britt seems to be oblivious of. Britt did say that he preferred not to have an extra box like the AirPlay and Apple TV solution currently requires:
Mr. Britt noted that he felt smart TVs — Internet-connected televisions that include computer chips and software — would be better than requiring an extra box to view Web content. "I hate set-top boxes," he said.It sounds like Apple may have something more to the CEO's liking sooner than later. And in the process, Apple's integrated television solution might make the cable giant look even frailer than it already is.