As we’re approaching the end of 2019 one may have noticed various articles describing predictions for media, entertainment, and video tech in 2020. The goal of this article is to provide an overview of the most valuable trends in Video Tech we anticipate for 2020 rather than just another set of predictions. Hopefully, this will enable you to see a better picture of what’s to come in 2020.
This blog post was originally published on the Multimedia Communication Blog. Click here for the original post.
In support of the findings from our 2019 Video Developer Report, these trends suggest that consumers are shifting away from hardware and cable subscription services and towards high-speed, cloud-based, streaming models. Also, gaming and altered reality tech are growing in demand. Does your video stack support these growing consumer demands?
Video Tech for Consumers
- Subscription streaming video services continue to grow
- Streaming media players unit sales are catching up to traditional set-top boxes
- Streaming device sales have replaced disc players, but disc legacy remains
- Smart TVs continue to grow
- 4K is beginning to get big
- Gaming is bigger than you think
- 5G is about to land
- VR and AR may finally realize their potential
Video Tech in Media
Dec 9, 2019: Top 10 Predictions For Media & Tech In 2020 (Forbes)
- “The Great Streaming Wars” and global subscription video on demand (SVOD) land grab are finally fully “on” after years of anticipation.
- As cords continue to cut amidst these SVOD wars (or never connect in the first place), advertisers scramble for new ways to reach and effectively engage with audiences on and off TV screens.
- Mega media-tech M&A comes to a crawl (for now) in the wake of Viacom’s acquisition of CBS.
- Once maligned streaming again drives double-digit growth for the music industry.
- 2020 finally gives vision to augmented reality (AR) and its ultimate mass commercial appeal.
- 5G networks launch in earnest and 5G compatible smartphones (including Apple’s next iPhone) enter the market.
- Warnings grow about an eSports bubble, but smart money plays a long e-game as 5G fueled cross-platform and cloud-based mobile gaming accelerate.
- Artificial Intelligence (AI) accelerates its game-changing ways in the world of media and entertainment.
- Real, not virtual, live “experiences” also increasingly find their way into multi-platform media strategies, driven by a growing counter-movement to digital’s frequently heads down isolation.
- “Fake news” (including AI-driven “deepfakes”) overrun 2020’s U.S. elections and cause unprecedented societal disruption.
Dec 9, 2019: Top 5 Video Delivery Innovations to Watch in 2020 (Harmonic)
- 5G for media delivery
- AI spreads across the workflow
- Live streaming at scale in real-time
- Hybrid delivery: Get the best from broadcast and OTT for an improved QoE
- 8K content streaming
Video Tech in Streaming
8 Streaming Trends for 2020: Top Predictions You Should Be Thinking About (FinancesOnline)
- OTT Rising
- Live Streaming Still Social Media Turf
- Mobile Is Now the Preferred Channel
- Extended Business Applications
- Fragmentation of OTT Content
- Music Streaming Displaces Radio
- Streaming Trends by Industry
- IOT Video Streaming
Technology, Media, and Telecommunications Predictions 2020 (pdf) (Deloitte)
- Bringing AI to the device: Edge AI chips come into their own
- Robots on the move: Professional service robots set for double-digit growth
- Private 5G networks: Enterprise untethered
- High speed from low orbit: A broadband revolution or a bunch of space junk?
- The smartphone multiplier: Toward a trillion-dollar economy
- My antennae are tingling: Terrestrial TV’s surprising staying power
- Coming to a CDN near you: Videos, games, and much, much more
- Ad-supported video: Will the United States follow Asia’s lead?
- The ears have it: The rise of audiobooks and podcasting
- Cycling’s technological transformation: Making bicycling faster, easier, and safer
Did we miss something? Let us know on our socials!
