The Future of Streaming Technologies

The growth of streaming technology accelerated during the pandemic as people opted to stream movies and shows from home when movie theaters were closed. Streaming has revolutionized the way we consume media, and the future of streaming looks bright with exciting possibilities.

Estimates suggest that streaming platforms will spend over $23 billion on original content in 2023. However, there are concerns about the impact of rising costs on households in the UK and how this could affect streaming platforms.

Let us have a close look here.

Over the top (OTT) streaming platforms are the kingmakers, and they are investing more on localized and specific content. We are already observing this with background effects matching the vibe of the local places on television and streaming platforms. It is happening with the sole purpose to maintain and exceed subscription figures. The aim is to establish a better relationship with the consumer and establish a great sense of brand loyalty.

So, what do we expect to see in the future?

Faster Cutting and Furious Editing

Gone are the days when an average movie took four to five years in production and a few years post production. Time has always posed a challenge to movies studios since the birth of motion picture and streaming platforms are setting a priority to break the norm.

Leaders in the streaming industries are trying to reduce principal photography, transporting the captured material to an editing suite in an effort to get the large amount of content into post-production. As a result, the turnaround time increases but efficiency remains a key to the streaming process.

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VFX – data, content, and genre

With the rise of the streaming landscape, it looks like every streaming platform has its own franchise. As a result, sci-fi epics, fantasy series and big superhero movies are growing as their own marketable franchises. The sales concessions have transcended cultures and borders and have become an integral part of our collective culture.

At the same time, the blockbusters and big action films require copious amount of data to be stored. However, not every shot in such films utilizes a VFX, but mass data consumption continues to rise with technological advancements. So, enhanced and faster storage is a must.

That said, the challenge for streamers keep growing. Their projects will continue to exceed data rates, there will be ever-growing storage needs and an efficient way to handle more capacity to match the growing content quality.

Talking about the visuals, the streaming landscape will experience greater innovations. The consumers will soon start to see the transition from 4K to 8K as the streamers aim to create a more immersive and cinematic experience. Although this move can pose challenges at granular levels.

Mobile Viewing: The future of streaming will also see a significant shift towards mobile viewing. With the widespread adoption of smartphones and tablets, more people are watching content on their mobile devices than ever before. Streaming services will need to focus on optimizing their platforms for mobile devices, including developing mobile-specific features and interfaces.

That said, smartphones will need to cycle through the data at a much faster rate. Flash memory and solid-state drives will be an absolute must to match the capacity and speed of the downloaded data.

Technologies Powering OTT Streaming

There are several technologies that power OTT streaming services globally, including:

1. Content Delivery Networks (CDNs): CDNs are a network of servers that deliver media content, including video and audio, to users. They help ensure smooth and fast delivery of content by caching the content in multiple locations across the world, reducing the distance the content has to travel to reach the viewer.
2. Adaptive Bitrate Streaming (ABS): ABS is a technology that adjusts the quality of the video stream based on the viewer’s internet connection speed. It ensures a seamless viewing experience by automatically adjusting the video quality to match the viewer’s internet speed, minimizing buffering and ensuring smooth playback.
3. Digital Rights Management (DRM): DRM is a technology that protects the copyright of digital content, such as movies and TV shows, by restricting access to unauthorized viewers. It prevents piracy and ensures that only authorized viewers can access the content.
4. Cloud Computing: Cloud computing allows OTT providers to store and manage their content on remote servers, providing scalability, flexibility, and cost savings. It enables them to handle traffic spikes and deliver content to viewers worldwide quickly and efficiently.
5. Artificial Intelligence (AI): AI technologies like machine learning and natural language processing can help OTT providers improve the user experience by personalizing content recommendations, providing voice-activated interfaces, and improving search functionality.

Wrapping Up

Streaming services are here to stay as industry leaders are putting in efforts to make it extremely relevant for their regional, national, and global consumers. The streaming landscape will continue to evolve as consumers will keep demanding more from their subscription services. Data and other technologies will continue to enable the changes happening across.

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