From the very beginning, the business seemed like an optimistic gamble on innovation, but after a crushing loss in the U.S. Supreme Court, Aereo CEO Chet Kanojia finally folded his hand, admitting defeat and offering customers a refund on Saturday.
"We have decided to pause our operations temporarily as we consult with the court and map out our next steps … All of our users will be refunded their last paid month," Kanojia wrote in an email to the service's subscribers.
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Perhaps most troubling, particularly for enthusiastic supporters of the product, the changes to Aereo were swift. "You will be able to access your cloud-based antenna and DVR only until 11:30 a.m. ET today," the email continued.
Kanojia's message on Saturday was markedly different from the one he sent on Wednesday, immediately after hearing a U.S. Supreme Court verdict that ruled Aereo had violated copyrights by streaming broadcast-television channels to users.
Although he acknowledged that the ruling was a "massive setback," Kanojia's first post-verdict message to customers was nevertheless optimistic. "We will continue to fight for our consumers and fight to create innovative technologies that have a meaningful and positive impact on our world," he said.
However, it appears the company has finally accepted its fate. As Aereo backer Barry Diller told CNBC several days ago, "We did try, now it's over."
As of this writing, the website is still accessible, but Aereo's rapid shut down of its antennas and DVR leaves any customers who relied on the service without much recourse other than to seek refunds.