Guest Column: Make flying social
Travel is largely back to normal, especially for domestic travel in the USA, where passengers are eager to get back to discovering new destinations and reconnecting with friends and family. Technology is ready to make travel even more enjoyable, taking it to a level travelers expect based on their on-the-ground experience.
At the last APEX Expo in Long Beach, California, IdeaNova was fortunate to welcome dozens of visitors. Many of them showed interest in our streaming platform, known for the secure delivery of Hollywood movies and TV shows. Last year we introduced Inplay Bash, which is a collection of technologies with a single goal – to make entertainment social by keeping passengers connected. Among the many visitors we met, every single one of them was impressed with this idea, many saying, "I want this on my next flight."
Juraj Siska, CEO, IdeaNova
Inplay Bash
The "I want this on my next flight" sentiment was predominantly aimed at the party watching feature WeWatch which allows passengers to watch the same content at the same time. Inplay Bash offers many other features like text or video chat that make the sharing and discovering of content, and the journey, even more enjoyable.
The social aspect of travel has its constraints as well, related to respecting people’s privacy, which can be handled by properly placed technology controls. We think WeWatch handles it well, and despite any privacy concerns, the benefits greatly outweigh the disadvantages.
IdeaNova's Inplay Bash bundle
Here are a few examples:
Traveling with family
Parents find themselves with limited options to contain their kid's curiosity, console their discomfort of flying or provide a sufficient level of entertainment. The invention of IFE made this easier, giving IFE the nickname "digital pacifier." Discovery of kid friendly content can still be a challenge as can be the navigation of the IFE system. WeWatch made this easier with the click of a button.
Watching sports
Watching your favorite team is fun on its own, but watching with your friends is even more fun. Being able to pause and replay is common but being able to see your friends’ expressions when there’s excitement in the game takes it to the level people are used to on the ground. Sports, socializing, and air travel is a winning combination. Our technology makes this happen.
Discovering new content
Many of us fly to discover new destinations, but in the famous words of Ralph Waldo Emerson, "It’s not the destination, it’s the journey," travelers can recommend content passively through customer ratings or in real time by inviting others to enjoy the show they’d like to watch inflight with Inplay Bash.
