Delta IFE to Get a New Look
#46
Join Date: Nov 2005
Location: Central FL
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Posts: 600
Played with the system while on DL 837 yesterday, an A330 from ATL to HNL. Can't say I noticed any improved responsiveness to the touch. I generally just watch the moving map and found that the touch controls for the arrows and zoom were spotty. You'd touch the spot and sometimes it registered right away. Other times it took multiple tries to get it to recognize a touch.
Just to check I also went to the video selection screens and moved around there a bit looking through the various selections. Similar problems there too.
Just to check I also went to the video selection screens and moved around there a bit looking through the various selections. Similar problems there too.
#47
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: NYC
Programs: DL PM, Marriott Gold, Hertz PC, National Exec
Posts: 6,736
Also, your 20-30% metric should really be more like 40-50%. iPhone is around 44% of all smartphones in the US, and smartphone penetration among air passengers (when you weight it by travel frequency) is in the mid-90% range.
#48
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2011
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For us true geeks, yes, we know what they mean. But I very much do NOT want an iPhone-like experience.
#49
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: NYC
Programs: DL PM, Marriott Gold, Hertz PC, National Exec
Posts: 6,736
If you're measuring on handset share, it's more like 44% (US figure, and a pretty good proxy of the addressable market for a US-based airline like Delta - I'd bet that, weighted by frequency of flight, their customer base is notably higher % iPhone than that). If you're measuring on revenue (i.e. you actually are trying to run a business writing apps), it's more like 2/3s iPhone.
It's only the "true geeks" who would consider Android to not be an "iPhone-like experience."
As an Android user, I'd much prefer the iPhone experience for IFE - I don't care about customization, flexibility, etc. I just want it to deliver video to me seamlessly.
As an Android user, I'd much prefer the iPhone experience for IFE - I don't care about customization, flexibility, etc. I just want it to deliver video to me seamlessly.
#51
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: CT
Programs: DL DM 2MM, MR LTT, Hilton D, Hertz PC. National Emerald Exec, UA Silver(thanks to Marriott)
Posts: 2,026
I am both and wouldn't touch an iPhone if you gave it to me free.
#52
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: NYC
Programs: DL PM, Marriott Gold, Hertz PC, National Exec
Posts: 6,736
http://fortune.com/2014/02/21/apple-...100000-a-year/
That certainly matches my anecdotal experience - among my colleagues and clients (very very few with incomes under $100k), I'd estimate iPhones have 90% share.
#53
Join Date: Jul 2015
Location: MCO
Programs: DL PM, UA Silver, Marriott Titanium, Hertz Presidents Circle
Posts: 4,310
Another New IFE Software Update Coming
It looks like the new wireless IFE system on the A220 and A330neo is getting a software update according to this post from the DL News Hub. It appears from the video that the new software will make the IFE system more like a tablet with new menus, video play options, etc.
Here are a few screenshots from the video for those who don’t want to watch the whole video.
Here are a few screenshots from the video for those who don’t want to watch the whole video.
#55
Join Date: May 2009
Location: Seattle, WA
Programs: DL Diamond 1.7MM, Starlux Insighter, Bonvoy Titanium, Hilton Gold, Hertz PC
Posts: 3,947
An alternative would be a system like Miracast or a mobile HDMI/DisplayPort link that simply mirrors the image from your device on the seat. But there isn't a good standard for that: Miracast requires wireless, which would potentially interfere with Gogo service, and MHL is dying with the MicroUSB port. USB-C DisplayPort Alternate Mode (phew) is maybe the most reasonable option, but most IFE systems are based on standard tablet platforms, and the hardware cost to add video input support for a feature that wouldn't get much use (subtract out all iPhone users, users without the latest devices, and then account for the needed tech-savviness of setting it up... not a popular feature.)
I assert that most passengers who want to watch video onboard are excited about watching recent movies they wouldn't otherwise have free streaming access to, which is a bias for content served from the plane. The remaining aficionados probably travel with a reasonable device of their own.
Don't get me wrong, getting work done with multiple monitors on a plane would be incredible, and is certainly technically possible with USB-C. But I don't think it's something we'll see until the standard stabilizes a bit more.
#56
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: San Antonio
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Also there was the issue of not being able to prevent inappropriate content. The few had seen it on eventually stopped allowing it.
#57
Join Date: Oct 2017
Programs: DL Plat
Posts: 352
i wonder how big of an issue this is since the past few movies i watched on avod on dl were not censored. for example, sex scenes in the movie featured nuditiy.
#58
Join Date: Oct 2017
Location: BNA
Programs: DL GM, HH Diamond
Posts: 1,027
Back on topic, based on the screen shots I look forward to the better Netflix style fast forward, often times I watch part of a movie on one flight and finish it on another, and finding my place is a pain in the current interface.
Also I could care less about watching my content on their screen. But that is just me.
#59
Join Date: Mar 2010
Programs: DL PM, Bonvoy Gold
Posts: 8,414
I don't really see how someone watching this content on the seatback vs. on a laptop screen is really that different. In both cases it's not appropriate for children and could potentially make other pax feel uncomfortable, but I don't get why it matters what screen it is on when most screens can easily be viewed by nearby pax.
#60
Join Date: Oct 2017
Location: BNA
Programs: DL GM, HH Diamond
Posts: 1,027
I don't really see how someone watching this content on the seatback vs. on a laptop screen is really that different. In both cases it's not appropriate for children and could potentially make other pax feel uncomfortable, but I don't get why it matters what screen it is on when most screens can easily be viewed by nearby pax.