"For a while, it seemed like everyone had a TiVo. It was a plot point on major TV shows; it had A-list Hollywood fans; it became a verb as ubiquitous as Google or Xerox. The love was well-earned, since TiVo had created a product that felt genuinely like magic. You could pause live TV. And rewind it. And even set shows to record for later, knowing they'd be there whenever you needed them."
"There's a reason you almost certainly don't have a TiVo now, though. The company quickly became a victim of its own success, and never managed to turn its game-changing concept into a big business or a truly lasting hit product. Meanwhile, the changes it helped bring about in our consumption habits eventually left TiVo behind. We all live in the world TiVo imagined - but we mostly do it without TiVo."
TiVo introduced a DVR that let viewers pause and rewind live television and schedule recordings for later, creating a sense of technological magic. The device became a cultural touchstone, referenced on major TV shows and embraced by Hollywood figures, and its brand even became a common verb. Despite early acclaim, TiVo failed to scale into a large, durable business and shifted toward licensing revenue. Broad shifts in viewing habits and widespread adoption of DVR-like features by other platforms eroded TiVo's market position. Strong nostalgia exists for the TiVo experience, but a mainstream revival is unlikely.
Read at The Verge
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