The Future of TV Ends with a Whimper

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Sam Biddle

07/08/13 02:57PM

Filed to: exits

Boxee was supposed to sell boxes that would change the way we watched sitcoms forever, but it didn't quite work out. Very few people bought the boxes, and the company sold itself for a (relative) pittance to Samsung. That sucks for Boxee—and it sure sucks for its customers.

The $30 million "exit"—that's Valleyspeak for jumping out of the frying pan and into money—was paltry compared to the cash investors had pumped into the company before it failed. Investors look for big returns, and Boxee didn't deliver. What Boxee did deliver is this disconcerting email to anyone who'd already shelled out for its services:

————— Forwarded message —————
From: "Team Boxee" <do-not-reply@boxee.tv>
Date: Jul 6, 2013 9:37 AM
Subject: Boxee team to join Samsung
To: <XXXXXXXXXXXXXX>
Cc:

We’re pleased to announce that the Boxee team will be joining Samsung.

Samsung is the #1 consumer electronics company in the world. They produce all of the screens we watch entertainment on - TVs, laptops, phones, and tablets. We’re excited to collaborate with Samsung on how each of these devices can deliver a more integrated TV experience.

We’re working behind the scenes to ensure there’s minimal impact to your Boxee TV during this process. However, the beta Cloud DVR functionality we provided to certain Boxee TV users will be discontinued on July 10th. You will not have access to your existing recordings after that date.

We want to thank you for being a part of our journey.

Sincerely,
Team Boxee

It's hard to reconcile "minimal impact" with discontinuing one of the main functions of the thing you paid for, but I guess that's why they call it an exit. So long, suckers.

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1

Lars Sam Biddle 07/08/13 03:26PM

Eh, I think Boxee was a company that did try to do something and bumped up against reality. That reality is that your box is only as valuable as the content it brings to the dumb screen and how cheaply it performs said function. That's not Boxee's fault, and the fact that they're still providing something of value to investors beyond a complete loss is good. I also don't remember Boxee proclaiming it was going to change TV forever, but maybe I never paid much attention to their marketing spiel. I have a Roku after all, not a Boxee.

In the end this is a reminder that it's hard to make new consumer technology that takes off. Ask the infinitely arrogant but much better financed Google how that goes.

sunstroked Lars 07/09/13 09:25AM

I spoke with them years ago about joining the team and then found out Google was developing a competing device (so I decided against it). Neither device took off but, to your point, Google could take the hit.

In both cases I think that content was an issue, but another problem was how clunky they felt. Even the native smart tv ui's on Samsung televisions still suck compared to, say, apple tv (which is still pretty bad).

lokpold Lars 07/09/13 02:01PM

But that is Boxee's fault...Working within the parameters of current reality is certainly an expectation of a start-up. That is part of evaluating market conditions and identifying problems.. If you make a content delivery system for which there is no content available to exploit said system, then it is your fault...

lokpold Lars 07/09/13 02:02PM

But that is Boxee's fault...Working within the parameters of current reality is certainly an expectation of a start-up... If you make a content delivery system for which there is no content available to exploit said system, then it is your fault...

Lars lokpold 07/09/13 03:10PM

I hear you. That's why they went out of business....errr....were acquired. But a great many companies are started and fail for a variety of reasons. It's a good thing. And obviously they did develop some useful technology if Samsung is taking them on. It still sucks for people who bought the box, but that happens to early adopters.

Jeff Greco Sam Biddle 07/08/13 04:19PM

I feel terrible for anyone who actually paid for a Boxee TV. I got one as a test unit, and it never managed to function. A half baked bunch of features in an underpowered slab of hardware.

The old Boxee software used to be pretty useful when trying to use a computer as a media center, but as soon as they set their sights on becoming a set top box, the software started its decline.

CpnSisko Jeff Greco 07/08/13 05:04PM

I don't know if you used one recently, but my experience has been the opposite. I bought one for my parents' big screen, and I bring USB hard drives full of new movies and shows home with me every weekend. It's great.

CpnSisko Sam Biddle 07/08/13 05:02PM

I bought one of these for my parents two years ago, and it works brilliantly. Truly one of the best gizmos I have ever owned.

Gary Pageau Sam Biddle 07/09/13 05:19PM

Watched them for years trying to figure out what they were. They were, essentially, a UI in search of an application.