The tablet wars are being fought between Google and Apple on the ground — and in the air. We already knew that Boeing’s committing to using Android in its next-gen 787 Dreamliner planes. Now Qantas is trialling iPads for inflight distraction purposes.
Plane flights are boring, boring things. I’ve spent nearly forty hours on planes over the past two weeks alone, and did so (as any obsessed gadget junkie would) with a bevy of technology on hand, including two tablets to cover me for if the inflight entertainment system crashed. Or if the movies were rubbish, which, let’s face it, they nearly always are. Fast & Furious 5 — why did I watch that?
Anyway, according to reports from Australian Business Traveller, I may be able to leave the tablets at home, as airlines are rushing to implement them for inflight entertainment. Qantas is setting up to trial iPad 2s for inflight entertainment next month for WiFi streaming of movies and music via a dedicated ‘Q Streaming’ app.
Inflight provided iPads will be locked down to just that App to discourage theft, but the plan is to allow customers to bring their own in the long term if the trial is a success. [AusBT]