Should MS launch a Brand new youtube competitor? or buy Vimeo or Hulu

[ttsoldier]

Windows Phone has had 300% growth over the past 45 days.

Bing has grown from 5% of searches (at launch) to 35% today.

I'd say those are both successful launches, yes.

Source?

 

[brmiller1976]

We have MetroTube which is better than the native Youtube apps on other platforms

I agree that it is a gorgeous app, but try using MetroTube today. It won't work, because Google made it break (again).

 

[brmiller1976]

Source?

Common knowledge.

 

[crystal_planet]

Microsoft should buy Netflix and then end support for Android the next day.

Oh, that would be funny. Or better yet, pull the plug on Android support and when they got good and lathered, MS makes an apologetic statement, saying "Netflix servers were undergoing routine maintenance for the last week, but are back and running for Android users to enjoy. We have no idea why they were the only one's affected with an outage.":winktongue:

 

[brmiller1976]

Or how about announcing that "Microsoft Netflix is ending support for proprietary video standards and implementing WMV for standard video. Unfortunately, Google does not support WMV standards on Android, so Netflix will not work on Android until Google adds this to its proprietary video codec."

 

[Simon Tupper]

But getting Vimeo is a good idea, it's probably the next Youtube.

 

[dalydose]

Because Bing and Windows Phone have been a runaway success? No they should stick to what they have and try to penetrate the market there. As of right now Bing and Windows Phone are non-existant in terms of market. Otherwise we're looking at another Kin and Zune.

I'm not sure you know what "non-existent" means. Both Windows Phine and Bing exist with name recognition and are rising in popularity.

 

[Gadgetman110]

Several years ago, before Google bought YouTube, Microsoft DID make a YouTube competitor. It was called SoapBox. It was MUCH nicer than YouTube. And it was a complete failure. Sad. It really was very nice.

 

[Laura Knotek]

Several years ago, before Google bought YouTube, Microsoft DID make a YouTube competitor. It was called SoapBox. It was MUCH nicer than YouTube. And it was a complete failure. Sad. It really was very nice.

I never even heard of it and had to look it up on Wikipedia. I guess I never knew about it since I never used MSN back in 2007. I had a hotmail account at the time, but that was it (and hotmail was basically only for TechNet newsletters).

 

[snowmutt]

If MS could get a Netflix or similar service with name recogntion and a library already in place, that would be the only way I would think it would be a great idea. And what a great idea it would be. However, I do not think now is the point where MS needs to be spreading itself any thinner trying to start it's own service.

What I love about Danny's thread here is that it opens up an even larger can of worms:

How much does MS want to be involved in Google's infrastructure, and how much can it get away with building it's own? Let's just spot Apple and Microsoft for a moment here. Let's say they can play nice enough with their cross platform agreements and that XBOX music/movies becomes a good iTunes competitor. Can MS create a strong enough search engine/email service/mobile OS/internet browser/streaming services/business secure and document provider that MS clients do not need Google in any way? Or does MS have to find a way to interact with them to some degree to become the player they want where they are weak and maintain their strength's?

I have no answer, but I love the idea of a complete ecosystem that has access to other tools, but no need for them. Can MS build that?

 

[brmiller1976]

Microsoft could easily replicate every Google Service out there. The problem is how to monetize it to make it pay off. Google uses Services to collect personal, private information about you that it resells to advertisers and profilers. Every new service from Google that you use provides it valuable information about you that it can further use to flesh out your personal profile. It can target you with ads, sell information about you to private investigators or government agencies, sell information about you to banks or other companies who want to know your personal information, etc.

If you start with Gmail and e-mail your significant other, Google can scan through each e-mail and determine your age, marital status and sexual orientation. Your bank statements mailed back will tell them that you have a Premier Account with JP Morgan Chase and are probably a holder of some significant assets. If you use Chrome to log on to your bank's site, they can scrape and report back your balance and other data, as well as your browsing habits. If you do a search for "Citibank Citigold," that can tell them that you're considering switching banks.

Then, they can go to banks who want your business and say "hey, here is Joe. He's a gay guy in a domestic partnership with someone who lives 800 miles away. He frequently flies back and forth to see his partner, and has a Chase Premier Bank account with $120,000 in combined balances. He's interested in switching banks, and wants an account that is easier to access in Missouri, as well as has an affiliation with American Airlines, his preferred airline. Citibank, you offer just such an account. Will you pay us $50 for Joe's information and the ability to access him?"

It's a profitable business that more than covers the cost of the services.

Microsoft lacks that business model. The way they make money is by less-targeted banner ads, and through sales of Windows, Office, other software, and services. They'd have to work out a business model that links expensive server farms for a YouTube competitor to sales of software, devices or services. A bit tougher.

 

[snowmutt]

Wow, brmiller, you make Google sound so sinister.

The fact they truly are helps your case a little.

But still, so negative!! :grin:

 

[brmiller1976]

I was a hard-core Google user for a while.

Then I received an ad that absolutely blew me away, and the only way they could have known about my need to travel and target me so uniquely was to scrape my Gmail.

I decided to dig a little and was blown away at what I learned. I left Google then, and never went back.

 

[dogfish54]

I was a hard-core Google user for a while.

Then I received an ad that absolutely blew me away, and the only way they could have known about my need to travel and target me so uniquely was to scrape my Gmail.

I decided to dig a little and was blown away at what I learned. I left Google then, and never went back.

Anything you can share on this? I completely agree about Google but have no proof. I think they are the biggest single threat to the internet, but I sound like I need a tinfoil hat when I tell people why.

To the OP, what if Microsoft killed Bing and started sunsetting Outlook.com and entered into an agreement with Google for solid and reliable API access? I know it will never happen.

Microsoft are kinda screwed with the lack of youtube support by Google, they can retaliate, but are not in a position of strength right now and just may alienate their customers.

 

[brmiller1976]

Most people don't want to believe the facts, even when you show them to them. I share what I know and let people make up their own minds. If someone chooses to let Google resell their lives, that's totally okay... I just point out later, when some outrageous thing happens, that they willingly accepted it.

Life is much too short to waste too much time on it. Do your diligence, let people know about it, and if they choose to believe that Google is just really nice and gives them free services with no motives, well... Not much you can do for 'em.

 

[msualum]

YouTube competitor for MS

Ok - late to the party but I have a concept. MS should buy Netflix or Hulu and move Bing video to that platform for actual recognition. YouTube is trying to break into the actual video rental. That is where they want to head. I think MS could take an established video / movie rental site and have free access for uploads / viewing of personal stuff. They need to do something...

 

[Kinalyx]

Im sorry to all of the WP or windows or microsoft fanboys out there, but there is no replacing google. Im trying out a WP because i love the new nokia's and i really want to try it out. If MS and Google would get along, things would be great. I would love to have a google search bar on my home screen, or be able to just have a youtube app that went directly to youtube the way it should.

Im not a Google or Android ****** either, i want to make that clear. I like my google services because theyre what im used to, and theyre what i like. I dont want to have to change everything i do just to have a different phone.

Shawn

 

[Zokudu]

I would say a bigger name to look into buying is justin/twitch.tv. If they expanded upon the VoD concept and allowed uploading as opposed to just streaming. Morph it into a streaming + uploaded video site the same way google is attempting to make youtube livestreaming major events a thing. Not to mention twitch is a huge community for streaming all kinds of content, they would have a large userbase to begin with. Similar to Skype.

 

[longcipher]

I've been thinking about this a lot. MS seems to think that they need to have similar services to Google's offerings. People aren't going to switch to a MS ecosystem for a new email experience. People love Gmail. People love YouTube and a MS clone would be pathetic. MS needs to give people a reason to be interested. That "killer app" or innovative hardware will draw them. They obviously haven't thought of it yet -- but that's the answer. Lead, don't follow. Forget trying to get apps from 2 years ago -- forge ahead and make a market.

 

[Chregu]

Why use the Xbox brand? well because the Xbox brand is widely known. when people see something to do with Xbox they will instantly wanna know about it.

Why not call it "Office Videos", as MS Office is also very successful? ;-)

I wouldn't care about a video service by Microsoft, as long as they do it right, and I doubt that very much. Sure, in this argument are two sides: Folks from the US and the rest of the world. Just look at Bing, I'm sure it's great in the US, but it just sucks terribly around here. In my country it's even still beta, but they are still selling Windows Phone here with no possibility to change the search service. They basically sell a beta product, sad but true.

Also, funny story, I switched the browser language from English UK to English US (because the Music Search which was available under WP7 is now gone under WP8 for no reason at all and somebody suggested to try the language change), and suddenly there where new features under the Search Button. None of them helpful, but it shows how much Microsoft cares about the rest of the world.

So I would trust Microsoft to build a solid service in one market, but they could never pull it off in the rest of the world.

After all this remarks that hopefully explain my opinion: Before Microsoft explores new market areas, they should fix what they have, and this everywhere. Google search and maps are great around here, Bing is terrible, and it would be exactly the same with Youtube and Officetube.