ABC reveals iPad app statistics, says it's 'pleased' with results
By Donald Melanson 
posted April 14th 2010 1:36PM
posted April 14th 2010 1:36PM
There's no question that ABC's free iPad app was one of the highest-profile apps to launch with the device, and ABC has now finally revealed some hard numbers to give an indication of just how successful it has been. According to The Wall Street Journal, ABC says the app has been downloaded 205,000 times in the ten days following the iPad's debut, and that is has been used to watch at least part of 605,000 TV shows. Perhaps the best news for ABC, however, is that the app has served up "several million" ad impressions, although the exact number is apparently still being calculated, with ABC only adding that it is "pleased with the results." Also, the most popular single show watched with the app? Why the episode of Modern Family where Phil Dumnphy gets an iPad, of course.
I need to get an iPad!
@B3ASTx3
I know, I'm really contemplating it... I don't know if I should just go get one, or wait until next year until Gen2.... I use my iPhone to read so many articles online, I think it would be perfect... Anyone iPad owners have any light to shed? Is it worth it? My problem is that the 16GB model is so expensive. I wouldn't mind throwing the money down if the base model was at least 32GB.
@TJx Price drop and front facing camera in next gen.
@smakus Price drop? Doubt it, apple has gotten better with pricing after their iPhone price drop mishap.
Also, wouldn't holding a tablet in front of your face make for some mighty shaky videos? ALSO not everyone needs a front facing camera, you just say its a missing feature to justify yourself for not getting one. I've never used skype and don't plan on it at all.
If your always waiting for a next gen then just don't buy any tech... "I don't have a computer because in a few years, it will be out dated and I'll just have to buy another one"
@bazookafx3 please explain the mishap? That doesn't make sense, especially considering that Apple commented on their pricing flexibility here. You mean, being the fastest growing mobile platform of the past 3 years?
Easy prediction: Apple drops the price of the iPad mid-cycle and/or offers this device at close to half price of an updated 2nd generation. It all depends on if the marketplace accepts competitors products or not, so let's not make anything more bold than "possibilities", and let's definitely not misinterpret history.
@bazookafx3
"I've never used skype and don't plan on it at all"
But millions of people do use Skype. Lack of camera is the reason I'm not getting first generation iPad.
“Yo dawg! We heard you like iPads so we put an iPad on your iPad so you can watch trends while you be trendy!”
What I can tell you is first I am not an apple fanboy at all. Second go get one NOW I got the 32 gig one and it has not left my side. I use it everywhere at home at work when I am out. I was going to get the entourage Edge but I got the ipad and I am one very happy guy. I used the ABC app to watch Family matters and to watch Flash forward on them. I know there will be a gen 2 but I am having fun now not someday down the road. if you have a nice size music lib stay away from the 16gig. I have over 100 music vids and I am down to 11gigs left.
@MaltedVomit
And you're sitting on a blog commenting on it.
Pretty sad when you think about it, eh?
@B3ASTx3
I'm waiting for Version 2 but I'm like 99% sure that I'd be quite satisfied with the current model.
@B3ASTx3: No!
@TheLondonExchange
Indeed. If some kind fellow can jailbereak it so I can run Flash on it or install a browser that does then it's a done deal.
@suicidebob
It's a joke, lighten up!
@B3ASTx3
Apple needs to make it available to me first...
I wish they would at least give me a date for the danish release :-\
Well, I guess it's back to drewling on Youtube...
@TJx What if Gen3 is even better than Gen2? The guy who bought Gen1 can afford to upgrade, but you'll have to wait another year.
@B3ASTx3 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UciKe5EbjqQ
:D
@maxim if your telling yourself skype is the only reason your not getting an ipad than its just an excuse. I dont believe you use skype SO much that its a deal breaker when you can use skype without video. The ipad has a mic and 3g is coming. Video on skype is just an excuse to make yourself feel better about not getting one. how often are you on a video chat? 6 hours a day? what did you do before sjype? You used teh phone etc. its not a deal breaker its an excuse.
@TJx
I was in your boat. I evaluated how I use my iPhone. I found that I did a ton of reading. This made the decision a no brainer.
Love this app, video quality is amazing!
OK, Now bring the app to the iPhone and you'll add another 85 million folks potentially consuming your TV shows and ads. Why did it take them so long to figure out that bringing their content to more people on more devices is a GOOD thing.
@justinpe Att would shit themselves.
@dmgabe
Another victim of the smoke monster perhaps?
Why is this such a success? The multiple times I've tried viewing something in it, the quality was horrible! Whereas my testing of the Netflix app was very clear. Has anyone else noticed poor video quality in the ABC app?
@Caffeinated85 I dunno, but having this served to less than half of the devices and each device viewing less than 3 shows is hard to dub a success, IMHO. Especially, it's what happens with the people who viewed 3-5 shows, if they get hooked, if they just stop then it's even less than a fad and more of a (failed) trial.
Verdict is still out, but this is news and I don't have to say why.
@Caffeinated85 it's been great for me
@Caffeinated85
Just from Testing it out at the Apple store, I noticed the ABC app to be a little buggy, but the video quality was great. There were times when I would turn it on its side, and it wouldn't automatically rotate, and it crashed on me once. The Netflix app wouldn't even launch. I restarted the iPad and still had the same problem. I'm sure these bugs will be worked out soon.
@Caffeinated85
My ABC app at home was perfect great picture and no delay. Check your wifi and I am using "G" not "N".
@Caffeinated85 I've seen pretty good quality on mine, better than Netflix in my opinion, especially when I compared Lost on ABC to Lost on Netflix.
@hawknj I have a pretty nice wireless N setup at home. Are you suggesting that it could be because its N? Also, the video doesn't cut out or anything that seems network related. It's just looks like a low quality, pixelated video blown up to fit the screen... I'll have to check it again when I get home
@justinpe
It's good that ABC and Netflix wrote these apps in xCode, or otherwise they would be buggy.. Apple the asshole of the Internet! I hope developers realize their being treated like garbage and everywhere drops developing for this company.
Mostly because there is nothing else to do with the iPad.
@smakus I just laughed at that.
@smakus so dont buy one. i find plenty of uses for it, and as an entertainment device its beautiful. the games are better than psp games when sitting on the couch, real racing hd is better than any psp racer. the ipad is going to have so many uses the longer time goes by also. right now the ipad is made for people who get tired of configuring pcs and those who want to email, surf, and entertain. and as for people complaining that $499 is too much money... um really? and ipod touch is what $300? ipods used to be $400 or so when the video ipod first came out. well back to enjoying my beautiful hd screen ipad, if you dont like it dont buy it.. pretty simple really
@smakus
Funny. Maybe there's nothing for you to do cos you don't have one.
The people without Ipads seem to have more problems than the ones that do. Again, funny.
@smakus Never mind that I read ebooks, PDFs, surf the web, watch video, listen to my playlists, play games, write emails oh and edit photos on mine.
@geo1378
While the ipad probably allows you to do many different things, you can't really declare that the racing games are better than any psp ones. Accelerometer or touchscreen is great for casual, doodle jump, minigore and other good games, but not for racing or fps games.
@kitsune And the PSP is great for FPS? Come on. While I do agree that physical controls can make a difference, just wait for those startegy games on the multitouch screen, like Red Alert.
Caffe,
No. The video quality has been brilliant ever since i got the ipad. Have you checked your wifi speed?
Hopefully other networks will take notice. The ABC app is perfect, imo. The ads are non intrusive and I think its fair to have them as long as the app does indeed stay free.
Just awesome awesome stuff...
I find myself using the ABC (in addition to the Netflix) app far more than I thought I would have.
Outstanding Work, now where' are the apps for the Cartoon Network and Comedy Central ?
@DaHarder
So you have an ipad, weren't you the same dude rallying against it when it was unveiled.
@Kwame Nkrumah Wow, so he didn't like it when it was first unveiled, big deal. I didn't like it either back then, but it grew on me. Maybe it grew on him too since he...you know, owns one.
@Kwame Nkrumah
I simply made mention of all that the iPad was missing (e.g. built-in web cam, media card readers, etc.), and my position has not changed regarding the fact that these are needless/glaring omissions in an modern tablet/slate device, but I always made it clear that I would be purchasing a couple for the family.
I'm interested to see how I feel about the AT&T's service when my 64gb/3G arrives...
@DaHarder
Ok, my bad.
Nothing the state controlled media says can be trusted as truth.
I'm still waiting for ABC to provide closed captioning access on their app for deaf people like me.
@Deaf I hope that comes soon for you. You would think that would be fixed right out of the gate!
@Deaf I hope they, er..., I HOPE THEY FIX IT FOR YOU SOON AS WELL!!!
@Deaf I can't stand how video-centric sites ignore the deaf-community. I have to wonder if the FCC can lay down the law here. Doesn't the Americans With Disabilities Act apply to the web too? If it doesn't it certainly needs to be amended.
@fragmit +1 LOL
@ssgadget
Why would they make you pay for it? It is supported by advertising, just like free over-the-air programming has been since the beginning, except now they have concrete statistics and demographic info for who is watching their programs. Also, they already have an app that allows you to pay for commercial-free TV episodes, it's called iTunes.