DirecTV this week joined the iPad app parade, launching its own application to the Apple iPad App Store. No doubt the announcement was timed to this week's iPad 2 announcements: nice move. But does it measure up against other TV provider's iPad-based interfaces (e.g., Comcast's Xfinity or DISH's app)?
I don't have all of the apps in front me, nor do I subscribe to all of the various services. For the moment, we'll have to go on what the vendors say.
DirecTV's app allows you to use your iPad as a TV remote control, access your channel guide, schedule recordings (even remotely), and change channels, as do similar apps. However, the DirecTV offering lacks a key feature that the competition has: the ability to watch programming from the iPad. Both DISH (via a Slingplayer) and Comcast (via a Wi-Fi connection and its own app) allow this.
As far as I can tell, the only thing different about DirecTV's iPad app is what's lacking, not what it uniquely delivers.
At this week's OTTCon in San Jose, David Schlacht, senior director of multimedia at DirecTV, said the company plans to open the platform up to allow 3rd party developers who will create plugins for the iPad app. Some of the iPad app plugins may synchronize with a broadcast TV show. This is called simulscreening, what others may also call a "true dual-screen experience."
You may recall that this is not DirecTV's first iPad application, with prior efforts including a joint offering with NFL's Sunday Ticket to enable users to watch NFL games live on the iPad.
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