The arguments about whether the iPad is a worthwhile device miss the larger point that accompanies the launch of the device. By introducing their version of the tablet computer to the world Apple has once again pushed us into another era. They've done so by introducing a viable fourth screen into our lives. Apple has been here before since they introduced the iPhone which effectively became the third screen in our lives after the television and the computer. You could argue that earlier video iPods constituted the introduction of the third screen but they weren't the must have, connected device that the iPhone / iPod Touch combo have become.
The iPhone finally introduced a portable device with acceptable quality video and good quality web browsing into our lives. Before the iPhone mobile video was low quality, with an ugly blockiness to it. The video on the iPhone was better than anything we'd ever seen on a mobile phone. Add on the iPod features plus heaps of apps introduced later on and our expectations of mobile phones have changed forever. More importantly the third screen stuck. We've since seen Blackberry, Palm, HTC and Google come out with their own touch screen, highly connected, video capable devices. The people have spoken and they want the third screen in their lives.
Independent content creators, especially those creating video (at one time they were called podcasters) really answered the call to create content for the third screen. And why not? They had a direct pipeline to the third screen via 60 million plus iTunes users. These vidcasters new that if they figured out the correct video format for the iPhone that they would be able to reach a brand new audience. No one had to scream at them to do it, the vidcasters realized it and made it happen. As a result independent video production has grown very nicely in the iPhone era because of vidcasters and the support of YouTube on the iPhone and other third screen devices. So there we all were in content nirvana on the third screen. But let's be honest. Even though the video on new mobile devices looks great compared to what it used to look like, it's still far from an optimal experience. Enter the iPad, which could very well be the fourth screen in our lives.
I think that the fourth screen is the one to watch for several reasons. First I think that there's a lot of room for growth there. Sure, an iPad and other tablet devices will set you back $550 and up with tax. That's expensive. The price, driven by competition and economies of scale, will come down considerably over the next few years. Tablet devices also have more flexibility that the devices they are competing with and I think they are competing with the first screen which is the television. Mind you, I don't think they're competing with the first television in the house as much as the second and third. Tablets with probably even compete with the casual computer in the house. Smaller TVs have gotten better and cheaper but they haven't gotten connected and they still can't be easily carried from room to room. And even though the tablets have smaller screens they will have a lot more versatility and thus will offer more bang for the buck than the second TV or the casual computer.
Video quality and connectivity are other reasons why the fourth screen is the one to watch. Better WiFi connections and 802.11n support on the iPad mean that streaming video can look very nice on a tablet. And while ten inches or so sounds small to most people it feels big when you're holding it six inches from your face. In short it's a much better experience than watching video on an iPhone. Expect to see some nifty tablet stands introduced in short order to stave off ergonomic issues. Because even though the iPad is light it feels heavy after holding it for a few minutes. I know because I got my paws on one at the local Apple store last weekend. My weak wrists aside the video on the ABC streaming app was very watchable. You may be thinking that there's no difference between the iPad and watching video on a laptop. There is a difference. Laptops have undersides that get hot, which makes the situation uncomfortable. Laptops have a much shorter battery life. Laptops have a bottom half that do nothing but get in the way when you're trying to watch something.
Here's the best part. The content, tons if it, is already out there to be had. This is really the point of this post. While big media companies fight over whether or not to port Hulu to the iPad, independent producers of online video (vidcasters, podcasters, etc.) can make the switch at little or not cost. They are already used to producing video in multiple formats for the iPhone and the web. Keep in mind that there will be more competition for eyeballs with heavyweights like ABC and Netflix showing up in the iPad app store early in the game. The key for vidcasters is to jump in early with videos encoded at the right resolution to look good on the iPad. It's best for them to be in the iTunes podcast directory but even a regular website with YouTube embeds can work as well. In fact podcasters of all varieties would be smart to consider how their content will play on the iPad. The best way to make sure that people get satisfaction is to offer a prominently placed direct link to the audio or video file.
In conclusion here is my guidance. The fourth screen is going to be big. I believe that it is going to be bigger than the third screen. As such, vidcasters should not ignore the fourth screen. There's much more competition on the television for eyeballs. The iPad (slate, tablet, whatever) is going to be more casual but very personal. I believe that is the ground where indies can dominate big media in the future. Have fun and good luck!
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