It would be tempting to come up with a snarky headline for this story, such as “TiVo changing channels”, but we’ll spare you. In fact, we’re going to make a general summarization: TiVo is doing better than analysts thought it would, and that’s because it’s concentrating on working with content providers, not just using what they create.
NBC, for example, after leaving Apple, is now working with TiVo to deliver NBC programming on-demand to TiVo owners. It’s significant because the networks hated on the TiVo when it first appeared a few years ago, basically jumpstarting the DVR marketplace.
That, coupled with TiVo’s licensing of the interface and back-end, means that TiVo’s winning strategy won’t be hardware, it will be services, and you can bet Xbox and Apple TV are in its sights.