Many streaming solutions out there are a one-shot ordeal, and were, for the most part, fully fleshed out from the moment that they hit the scene. Even among carrier-sponsored content delivery services, the current trend is for something to be rife with content and ready to use to its full potential right out of the gate, as seen with AT&T’s DIRECT Now. Verizon, on the other hand, seems to be taking it a bit slow with their own Go90 streaming service. Having scooped up AOL, and working on scooping up Yahoo, Verizon will have plenty of content to work with, but they’re focusing more on adapting Go90 to their business model and target audience by refining the service and being choosy about content.
Verizon’s CEO, Lowell McAdam spoke on the matter, saying that the company knew from the get go that they would not be seeing instant jumps in revenue from Go90, nor were they expecting it to become a full-fledged content ecosystem overnight. McAdams called the venture “patient money”, referring to the fact that Go90 would generate large streams of revenue over time, mostly by driving mobile user growth and retention, rather than by generating money directly. This very Google-esque way of doing things is not exactly unique in the wireless industry, but Go90 is one of the most overt examples that one can currently see in popular media concerning the mobile industry, and it’s certainly one of the clearest examples. Verizon is spending a good amount of money, time, and manpower to enrich a content ecosystem that they’re offering at low or no cost to their users not to see money directly from it, but for it to help grow their core business.
According to McAdam, the way that the service is being built out and marketed appeals more to modern consumers like millennials, who may not be quite as big on the concept of an all you can eat content buffet at a set price, but tend more toward a la carte offerings that allow them to devote their money and time only to the content that they are personally interested in. McAdam also said that this demographic is a more internet-savvy and online-focused crowd than others, and that a web-centric, customizable offering with a wide variety of content seemed to fit the bill. Go90 isn’t exactly building in slow motion, but it will take time to see if this gamble pays off for Big Red.