What is the future of streaming?

How many times a day do you watch videos?

The author of this text starts the morning by watching Youtube creators on the phone while preparing breakfast and making coffee. During the working day, most of the time it’s Google Meets calls. Then a part of the day is spent posting videos on blogs and content platforms. If I can't sleep at night, I put on videos with rain sounds.

As you may have noticed, online video takes up a lot of time during the day, which means it plays a big role. And now it's the norm.

If you look at the statistics (Statistics and facts about video consumption in 2023) you will find that the average american adult spends almost 8 hours a day watching video, when you put together all the accesses to the network, then it spends time on:

• Video on demand (VOD)
• Online Games
• Watching videos on social media.

A wide range of virtual services, including telemedicine, have become available after 2020. An example of using video in everyday life is the integration of a smart home with a doorbell camera.

Video is being used in B2B and B2C businesses, to improve the quality of service and as part of a marketing strategy, and this leads to increased revenue. One of the reasons for this success is that video is integrated into everyday applications.

In business, these are business meetings through video conferencing platforms. In everyday life, video helps with everything, from how to park your car more conveniently, to choosing a sports coach for online classes.

Limitless use cases

80% of internet traffic worldwide is video. Cisco predicts these numbers will continue to grow. This is mainly driven by big tech companies like Meta who are looking to develop augmented and virtual reality in combination with immersive technologies.

This year, budgets have already been invested in the development of several streaming technologies:

• AI is engaged in the generation of dynamic content;
• OTT is looking for new monetization models and developing FAST (Free Ad Supported TV) so that users can watch TV for free thanks to ads;
• Big companies are focused on immersive video in the metaverse;
• Streaming speed is growing;
• Technologies are developing for uninterrupted ATSC 3.0 and 5G communications;
• Video marketing is going multi-channel;
• Additionally, streaming developers are considering ways to reduce energy consumption and go green.

Regardless of the industry or application, video drives digital innovation. We hold business meetings using video transmission, rely on back-up cameras to navigate our parking lot, and do fitness at an online gym.

During operations, surgeons use video-connected devices, and some hospitals have already installed AI-powered surveillance systems.

It is likely that you remember how online broadcasts of classes, even individual ones, increased after the pandemic.

Personalization and relevance

Irrelevant content is a thing of the past. Therefore, no matter what product or service you produce, in order to engage the user, you will have to learn how to personalize offers.

As online purchases increase, recommendations based on browsing history are being used more and more to influence purchases. The same thing happens in OTT.

To offer what the user is really looking for, you can use automated data about user behavior on the web, demographics and geolocation.

The more accessible your content is, the more likely it is to sell and form a long-term user-brand relationship.

Video anywhere you have an internet connection

You remember how until recently, online content was only accessible by a PC that took up most of your table because of the huge monitor? And for anyone who wanted to capture and distribute video, a truckload of equipment was required.

Today, everyone is mobile - both viewers and those who broadcast. 

Video surveillance broadcasts can be viewed on your smartphone, and you can watch movies there at any time. We expect that the video will be played in good quality, and with minimal delay - wherever we are (from a short walk to a long trip and even at the airport).

An inspiring example of how far streaming technology has come is last year's Beijing Winter Olympics. The Chinese Express has been set up with a 5G network. The train was traveling at a speed of 350 km/h. Despite all the difficulties with logistics due to the pandemic, the organizers used technology creatively.

The train connected Beijing and Zhangjiakou. And athletes, journalists and other participants could not only move freely, but also watch broadcasts without interruption.

Drones and IoT cameras provided a complete overview of events from all angles. VR and AR technologies created the impression that commentators were in the snowy mountains.

Things that will define the future of video technology

1. Cloud Computing. Cloud computing is a useful tool for producing, processing, and delivering video. Virtualization simplifies workflows. You can record streams and use them as VoD.
2. IoT is unleashed through high-speed 5G connectivity. This means that you can use the mobile Internet as stable as if it were a direct cable connection. The throughput of wireless networks becomes better, the delay is minimized. Over time, it is expected that thanks to 5G it will be possible to use through remote devices in real time - AR/VR. Suddenly, remote surgery and self-driving cars have become an ordinary occurrence.
3. Augmented Reality XR. This technology allows you to immerse a person in a virtual environment. You can only interact with it using a smartphone, tablet or computer. The environment is built on the basis of data from video cameras that transmit an image to the screen. The XR started out as a gaming tool. Now it can be used for remote excursions, and medicine. There are technologies that can train the memory of the elderly, as well as divert attention and reduce the need for painkillers in pediatrics.
4. Low latency. Video has become a necessity in the post-pandemic era. Business processes of many companies began to depend on interactive video communication.
5. Content management. Content has become more complex, making it harder to manage. Not only do you need to generate it, but also store, organize, and publish it. This process is optimized by CMS. Some solutions are already trying to use AI for parsing, indexing and compiling.
6. Analytics. Sophisticated video monitoring analytics tools are used to find out why a viewer disconnected from a broadcast or unsubscribed from a service.

Considering all these factors, we believe that the future of streaming lies in hybrid environments, and the interoperability of the metaverse and IoT.

The video will blur the distinction between remote and in-person experiences. Everything will be hybrid. This is already manifested, for example, in virtual technologies for trying on clothes.

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