• Change in viewing patterns with the rolling out of 5G—

Although 5G is yet to be launched, there is a lot of buzz around it. The launch of 5G will likely influence the streaming habits of users.

We expect 5G internet to become a standard in the times to come. This next-generation mobile network technology will allow for faster, more reliable internet speeds. In tests, 5G speeds were 100 times faster than the best 4G LTE networks.

The most notable gains will be for video streaming. 5G will also prove to be a boon with regards to live sports streaming and event streaming.  

However, 5G comes with some limitations. Walls and other obstacles can block 5G signals. Carriers are planning to circumvent this issue by building large networks of smaller network access points. Users can return to 4GLTE signals when 5G doesn’t work. This tech will, however, change the landscape of the entire industry.

• With better internet connectivity, 4K streaming would be more commonplace— 

Streaming 4K video uses approximately 30 Mbps of Internet bandwidth. Live streaming of video requires at least double this bandwidth. For consumer-grade internet connections, this kind of bandwidth isn’t common. However, with the advent of 5G, 4K streaming will be a more commonplace thing.

It may be expected that in the times to come, 4K and Virtual Reality streaming will be more widespread than it is now. This new network technology will also allow 360-degree live streaming. So, it’s easy to deduce that the streaming experience will get more immersive in the future.

• Tailored content for better user engagement—

The pattern of content consumption is rapidly changing due to rising disposable incomes. The media industry is reacting to this by shifting its focus from creating and serving content to the masses to offering tailored services. Subscriber growth and retention are indicators of success in today’s media market. Hence, providers must offer a personalized and engaging experience that is tailored to each individual’s viewing habits and preferences. We are OTT Platform Development Company in India

Personalization is about analyzing consumer behavior to provide insights that can be used to improve the user experience. Personalization will continue to be a major driver of engagement for OTTs.

• Subscription fatigue is a real thing—

A third of professional broadcasters are using subscription models to monetize content. This has one major adverse effect on customer behavior.

An Apester survey found that 60.1% of people have become sick of having multiple streaming services. One-fifth of those surveyed don’t know enough about new services. Only 16.5% agree that it is a good idea to have multiple competing services. It’s evident from the above stats that we have reached a point of excess options in the OTT industry too early both globally and locally.

This current reality is often referred to as “subscription fatigue” and it’s becoming increasingly problematic. Fatigue here refers to the fact that viewers get tired of paying for multiple services over time.

Although this is not a good sign for the OTT industry, this is driving innovation in OTT video monetization. As an alternative to subscription, providers are slowly turning towards pay-per-view and revenue generation through advertising.

There has also been an increase in the use of bundles that combine different subscription packages for flexibility.

• The popularity of pay-TV is fast declining—

Pay-TV has been in trouble since 2018, due to the increase in low-cost OTT providers and the high-quality content available on various streaming platforms. The number of pay-TV subscribers is falling, all across the globe and it is expected to decline further in the times to come. In contrast, OTT platforms have seen a surge in popularity and original content has been flooding the digital space. 

• Content localization to appeal to the mass—

OTT platforms have been able to attract viewers from developing countries all over the world, thanks to increased internet penetration. It has also increased OTT viewership outside of urban areas. Many of the top OTT platforms’ viewers hail from Tier II or Tier III cities.

Understanding the preferences and tastes of different audiences is essential if you are to appeal to them. It is also important to create content for smaller communities that resonates with their struggles and aspirations.

This trend is already catching up in India where OTT platforms have been successful in establishing their foothold. Content creators in India are now focusing on stories that feature relatable characters and regional dialects.

• A growing focus on live sports streaming—

There would be an uptake in OTT streaming for sports. While traditional TV subscriptions continue dropping, live sports has not yet fully transitioned to online streaming. However, COVID-19 has made it difficult to attend sporting events physically. We Ott App Development Company in India

OTT allows fans to watch their favorite sporting events via any device. It also gives them the opportunity to interact and engage with the platform through a multitude of ways, such as fan reactions, betting, and so on. OTT platforms for sports can create revenue streams that aren’t possible on traditional TV. This includes targeted advertising, personalization, and live stats. 

• A rise in the popularity of CTV—

Connected TV, also called “CTV”, is streaming via OTT technology to TVs. As viewers are more inclined to viewing content on TVs when at home, rather than on mobile devices, connected TV has become more popular in the past some time. CTV is possible with dedicated streaming devices, gaming consoles, smart TVs, and other connected devices.

For several years, there was a preference towards mobile streaming, but now people are turning towards the television. And it’s worth noticing that streaming on smartphones, tablets, and computers has not been affected by the increase in CTV streaming. It would be interesting to see how this trend develops.

• Brands vying to offer the best user experience—

User experience has been a major factor in the success of OTT streaming. We’ve seen a lot of OTT streaming services cropping up in the recent past. And since there are multiple streaming services out there, viewers can choose the ones they like best. In such a scenario, streaming platforms can’t help but try to attract users by offering unique user experiences. And guess what, the good user interface is a quality that can indeed entice viewers. In fact, the success of platforms is greatly dependent on user experience. Users prefer streaming services that offer easy-to-use interfaces. They also want access to expansive, high-quality content.

People like the user interface of an OTT platform to be intuitive, easy to use, and loaded with a wide variety of content. Although almost all platforms produce series and movies, viewers prefer to buy subscriptions of those that do it on a much larger scale.

The platform’s algorithms should be user-friendly and the apps must work across devices. Platforms with confusing user interfaces are the ones that lag behind in the race.

Talking about the streaming of series, while some OTT platforms release episodes within hours of their airing on live television, others prefer to release in the same manner as traditional TV, with one episode per week. Those OTT platforms that release entire seasons at once make the shows more attractive for binge-watchers.

Regardless of what content strategy they intend to implement, streaming platforms must, at least, have a rough idea of what users value.

• The competition gets stiffer as more players enter the scene—

OTT streaming services continue to grow despite the presence of major conglomerates. A huge number of OTT hosting solutions are available now, which is increasing the competition. Cloud-based OTT is becoming an affordable option for content creators.

These hosting solutions are important as people turn to these platforms for content management and distribution. The most desired features include video monetization, secure content delivery, white-label streaming, live streaming, and advanced security. Since there are many options, we expect to see a larger number of OTT streaming services in the future.

We are witnessing the rise of new OTT technologies as well as the consolidation and refinement of the old ones.

With OTT subscribers continuing to rise, there is tremendous potential for new players to reach broader audiences as well as to tap into newer revenue streams. But then only the companies that can adapt to the market will prevail. Services that fail to grasp the complexity of the audience and the choices they have will struggle to shine. The latest industry trends can help you get started in the world of OTT.