As is common these days, exclusive deals, greed, and some form of “content protection” is ruining yet another service. This time it is the CNN iPhone app. While I won’t argue that to date, it is the best stand alone news app available in the Apple App Store, the fact that we still can’t get a live stream of a reputable news station is a pain in the ass. The hurdle? It isn’t Apple. Heck, it isn’t even AT&T in this example. It is cable providers. They make money off of selling certain channels to individuals and local cable providers. The internet and it’s streaming goodness is a monkey wrench in their yearly profit margins — why look the other way or *gasp* innovate and embrace new technology when they can lock their content down and restrict it more?
While the app is a step in the right direction and comes out nearly perfect, the lack of an actual live stream keeps it from a full 5/5 in my book. Granted, the news clips that are included are of good quality and frequently updated. Still, is anyone getting tired of greed, exclusive deals, and other corporate BS getting in the way of convenience?
If you’ve downloaded the CNN iPhone app, how do you like it? Do you regret your decision?
Alley Insider
