Google Video - Bit Player

It looks clear that 2006 is shaping up as the year of the video gold rush. While movie download services have been available for several years, the popularity of vlogs, moves by TV networks to sell online content and Google's Video Store will greatly expand the online video watching audience.

However, unless Google can convince all of the TV networks (most unlikely) to use its publishing system, they will only be one of many players. There is too much room for competition and already established video distribution outlets for Google to dominate. What (primarily younger) webizen is going to pay for Brady Bunch and Have Gun Will Travel episodes?

While Google will enable small-time videographers to gain exposure to many eyeballs, people won't want to sift through the inevitable majority of bad video to find something worth watching. The first feature Google should add is a user rating system so that people can weigh in and separate the wheat from the chaff (ala Digg).

Also, storing and processing all of this video and handling credit card payments for as low as nickel will almost certainly be a drain on Google's financial resources, not a benefit. A micropayment system should be second on their list.

Google will have to continually retool its DRM scheme as ne'er-do-wells will always find a hack. For consumers Google's Video Store will increase selection, but five years from now, you'll still be visiting a variety of sites to get your video fix.