Hulu on the iPad? Think app, not portal

This is same thing as it was with Spotify. Apple won't accept the app unless it is subscription based service. This is how Apple makes sure iTunes can compete with it. We won't see free Hulu on Apple's mobile devices and it's not because Hulu doesn't want it.

All I have to say is that if they are still going to put advertising in the video feeds then they better not charge anything for the service. That are already being paid every time I watch that advertisement weather I buy anything or not. Since they are already making money I see no reason to give thin more. If the promise zero ads the they can through in a subscription fee in which case they should offer both and let the customer decide how much they hate watching short advertisements.

As said, if Hulu were to allow access to a backlog for the paying subscribers, I think there would be a lot of value in it. Also, allowing only said subscribers to access Hulu from an iPad is not very different from what Spotify is doing here in Europe where only premium (paying) subscribers get to use their iPhone app. I haven't seen any numbers, but I feel that model is a very fair one; go free with ads on a limited number of platforms or pay a subscription to get rid of ads and access from a larger number of platforms.

And if the problem is that you would be paying for the same content twice, why not just cancel your cable and use online services instead? It's pretty much how do it, except for american shows which I CANNOT, even though I want to, pay for (seriously, we get everything waaay after they air originally, in poor quality and they aren't ever available from ANY online service).

I personally won't pay for a subscription to Hulu unless they have just about every episode of any show I want to watch...if that is the case, I will just stop paying for Netflix (they just don't have enough shows on instant stream)

To Hulu: I would much rather pay 30 dollars for your app up front and not have to pay a subscription (I Know this won't happen)

I just wrote about this in a similar topic but I was mentioning the new CBS site and how if this trend continues, there won't be a need for a Hulu app (Comedy Central has already left Hulu. Who's next?)

But you do bring up a good point about having a dedicated app. They could do all the same things they do with Flash with Objective C. Apple may be on to something. I saw Flash running on "Froyo" and while, yes, it does work, it did not look fun/easy/enjoyable. Ol Steve may not end up sounding so crazy in the long run.

And that is the real reason this model might work. By having something extra then the service currently provides (entire series vs. just the last five episodes). That may be enough to make the payment service compelling, though I notice my Hulu habit is to use it to catch up with the episodes I missed, and that is usually no more then two weeks worth.

I may consider it, but they need to widen their catalogue by a lot for me to want to fork out a monthly fee. This applies to series that they already have (like Chuck or Lost), and adding series that they don't have (like maybe the entire series of the different incarnations of Star Trek. Even CBS only lets you watch the Original Series for free online).

We'll just have to wait and see if they up the content enough to make it a compelling pay service.

We dumped our cable TV sub years ago and never looked back. And now the Web offerings make it even more obsolete.

I'm happy with Netflix, Hulu (Desktop) and ABC's player (despite occasional glitches). I think Hulu should stick to the existing ad-supported model on the iPad.

I've paid for cable, Uverse and/or Dish for the last 15-20 years, does that mean I should get ALL TV free? Regardless if I've been Tivo-ing it or not?

On-demand TV through Hulu is a convenience and we should pay for that.

They've been getting us used to the format AND giving us the last 5 eps for free.

Great.

I want Hulu to develop an app so that I can take that convenience out into the world.

I should pay for that.

If you don't want to pay for Hulu, then stay home and watch your shows.

$9-10 per month is cheap for the convenience of on-demand TV. If the rumors are true, then a "backlog" of shows available for that price would be incredible. I don't want to watch commercials, but if I can watch the last 3 seasons of Chuck w/o buying the DVDs, I'm in!

Hulu 2010 - RIP

I agree with @jasonq!

The Networks already get paid buy it's advertisers to cover all the cost of the shows they play. It is a pay for performance business as any business should be.

Truthfully they are not losing viewership they are gaining it with this on demand, location free service.

The Executive need to read some Seth Godin books or blogs.