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Quarterly Wrap-ups

Connected Consumer Q2: Digital music meets the cloud; e-book growth explodes

Summary:

The second quarter of 2011 was a fast-paced one for the connected consumer segment, with every sector of the digital media landscape — music, e-books, online video and gaming — experiencing significant events and changes. Media consumption, purchase and management continued its shift towards the cloud, while the battle for the living room raged on. Game console manufacturers Microsoft (Xbox 360) and Sony (PS3) added new content to their platforms, and Nintendo finally got into the HD race with the Wii U. In this report, we examine each of the areas listed above and provide a near-term outlook for where the market is headed over the next 18 to 24 months. Additional companies mentioned in this report include Amazon, Apple, Google, SoundCloud and Hulu. For a full list of companies, and to read the full report, sign up for a free trial.

  1. Table of Contents
  2. About Michael Wolf
  3. About GigaOM Pro
  4. Executive summary
  5. Digital music heats up again
    1. Amazon Cloud Drive and Cloud Player
    2. Google Music Beta
    3. Apple iCloud
    4. Music gets more social
    5. Spotify launches in the U.S.
    6. Pandora goes public
  6. Online and over-the-top video
    1. Hulu
    2. Netflix
  7. Smart TV and TV apps
    1. TV app platforms
      1. Google TV
      2. Roku
      3. Apple TV
    2. Game consoles
      1. Wii U
      2. PS3
      3. Xbox 360
    3. Video capture and chat news
  8. E-books and digital publishing
  9. Near-term outlook
  10. Key takeaways
  11. Further Reading

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