TV Is About to Change

First ABC, then Netflix, then Hulu, and soon HBO. The powers that be are quickly adopting the iPad as the new go-to device for your daily dose of television. If rumors hold true, Apple will unveil the new AppleTV next month, further expanding your TV options while simultaneously integrating the iPad, both as a remote and perhaps an alternate screen. TV, as you know it, is drastically changing.

If you thought the iPad could spell big changes for the print industry (books, magazines, and comics), you better hold on tight, as that could be just the beginning. Although the iPad soon won't be the only tablet on the block that's worthy of a second glance, it's definitely the leader in changing the game of other big businesses. With its super personable screen, it's also starting to penetrate the video market in ways that the iPod and iPhone never could.

A 3.5" screen might suffice for an uncomfortable airplane flight or while sitting on the john, but it just doesn't have the draw needed to bring in new video customers. The iPad has changed things. We wager that anyone who owns both an iPad and a Netflix subscription is using the Netflix app to watch movies and TV shows on a regular basis. Hulu Plus might not yet having staying power, but it's poised to grow as people become more accepting of a subscription model for what used to be free. The ABC video app is wildly popular, and HBO subscribers will have access to that premium channel's blockbuster lineup around the turn of the year. And let's not forget about services like the Slingbox, which will soon send your Dish Network content right to your iPad (for a hefty price, of course).

If Apple pulls through with the rumored AppleTV refresh next month, it could "change everything," says Digg's Kevin Rose. Whereas AppleTV will use your existing TV set, iPad integration is inevitable, and there is even talk of the iPad being used to provide alternate camera angles from live feeds, such as sports games. We wouldn't be surprised, either, if there is an AppleTV app that lets you watch the same content on your iPad, sans an AppleTV--although Apple could certainly mandate that you own both for the service to work.

What this means is that TV is changing. Cable and satellite TV subscriptions are still strong, and we do expect a slow adoption rather than an overnight change in the world's viewing habits. We also don't foresee the iPad replacing the traditional big-screen TV. I want to watch Avatar on my TV, for instance, not my relatively tiny iPad. But with most TV shows (excluding major shows like Lost) I don't care so much about the screen size. Many are more than happy to watch News Radio and The Office on their iPads.

Could Apple be at the forefront of yet another revolution in such a short span of time? It's quite possible. Keep your eyes peeled come this September.