The slow coming of Apple TV

As Apple announces today a new version of its TV product, I'm reminded that one year and five days ago, I described the fundamental importance of Apple TV in the context of iPod+iTunes vs the music industry: Apple TV incarnates a similar attack on the TV and movie industries. Why pay $50-120 per month for a cable package when one could for much less money subscribe to entire seasons of specific tv shows and download select movies on demand? Apple TV will do to cable channels and DVDs what the iPod did to CD stores and music albums. It doesn't hurt that the device also seamlessly integrates music, photos, and movie trailers.

DVDs aren't dead yet. Apple's movie rental prices are too high (overall making Netflix a better option for movies) and I'm still waiting for the other shoe to drop: the integration of a DVR in the box.

Cable monopolies aren't dying yet. A bit of basic accounting (not for CEOs who take fat bonuses while getting rid of productive employees and frantically buy the latest gadgets so that they'll feel relevant to the modern world): if on your Apple TV you rent one movie a week, and three weekly episodes of TV shows (assuming Hollywood writers quit their strike, eventually) you'd be forking over to Apple and its allies about $38 monthly. That's not a good price point compared to a standard cable or dish subscription ($40/mo?). Internet-distributed movies and TV shows should cost between one and two dollars each, at most.