This 2020 has been a wild ride for us, and we are happy to escape from the dust of 2020. Since COVID-19 is part of our everyday lives for the foreseeable future, the streaming media landscape is at a critical platform as we enter 2021.
In 2020, the streaming industry experienced unprecedented growth. The early days of lockdown have pushed us five years forward in consumer and business digital adoption, thanks to user-generated content, zoom calls, and telemedicine at the forefront.
So, what comes next for the streaming industry? Let’s jump into our streaming forecast for 2021.
1. Telehealth
The widespread adoption of telehealth is undoubtedly one of the silver lines of the epidemic. COVID-19 has not only accelerated the digital transformation of the healthcare sector; This also became normal. Healthcare providers were forced to treat patients using social distance, and virtual doctor visits increased.
Forrester estimates that by the end of 2020 alone, there were one billion American telehealth visits. The rapid development of remote patient monitoring and the Internet of Medical Things (IoMT) continues as many healthcare companies rush to innovate during these efforts.
Healthcare professionals will continue to use streaming technology to treat and communicate with patients and improve internal training and knowledge sharing. Deloitte reports that the percentage of virtual doctor visits will increase to 5% globally in 2021, compared to an estimated 1% in 2019. Deloitte said consumers have a better understanding of video calling applications, especially the seniors.
Also, there is ample opportunity to expand telemedicine beyond physicians to empower first responders and patients. Video-based telemedicine capabilities meet the basic needs of society and define new criteria. Simultaneously, remote surgical observation and training will allow experts to advance the industry to any location rapidly.
2. Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) drive you forward
Artificial intelligence will emerge in 2021. Last year, AI revealed both the best and worst cases in the media world, with shockwaves to Facebook and Google’s algorithm regulation. At the same time, AI has helped counter-intuitively appreciate authentic forms of user-generated content (UGC) – exposing TikTok’s delight to many. As a result, media companies are increasingly now focusing on the power of UGC on major mobile platforms.
The following developments are predicted in AI and ML:
- Previous experimental uses are becoming an essential product feature of live broadcasting.
- Automated metadata extraction
- Automated content-aware coding
- Automatic translation and subtitles
- Object / motion detection and notification
- Contextual advertising
3. Encoding Trends
The industry has been talking that the Advanced Video Compression (H.264) codec is dying. Is 2021 the year it will finally be destroyed? The short answer is no.
Here are the encoding trends that will lead this year:
H.264 lives here: When factors such as processing power and cost are taken into account, H.264 encoding is challenging to overcome. There are simply too many devices that only support H.264, such as IP cameras, set-top boxes, mobile devices, and low-power devices. Archiving is another reason that remains relevant, as a lot of recorded content exists today, and no one wants to re-encode content for more than 20 years for distribution. Options are becoming more attractive as users experience higher and higher bandwidth costs. Nevertheless, there is too much uncertainty in the land of codecs.
HEVC is growing: High-efficiency video encoding (HEVC / H.265) will continue to grow in 2021. HEVC can provide up to 50% better data compression than H.264 with the same video quality or significantly better video quality at the same bit rate. This capability opens the door to the transmission of 4K and HDR video over existing transportation networks to a growing universe of platforms.
The rapid development of AV1 continues: Netflix has started using AV1 for some mobile devices (instead of VP9) due to lower requirements for that video quality. As the efficiency of encoding and decoding continues to improve, the adoption of AV1 is accelerated. To compare HEVC to VP9, industry concern is being raised about how HEVC relates to AV1.
The acceptance of VP9 is flattened: Google VP9 is a powerful codec, but its complex patent licensing process and shifting of resources to AV1 have failed to become widespread. YouTube and other major platforms will continue to use VP9 for some time – but is Apple adding VP9 support to OSP / iOS14 too late?
VVC is on the horizon. VVC has reached the final stage of standardization, and the quality of performance is not yet visible. The VVC codec has promised to improve visual quality and reduce bit rate expense by about 50% compared to HEVC.
Benefits of Content Adaptive Coding (CAE): While traditional multi-layer encoding uses a fixed bit rate ladder to spend too many bits for straightforward content, content-adaptive encoding solutions are emerging as a promising alternative. CAE results in significant bit rate savings by allocating only the required bits to a given video based on its complexity. This is becoming more common as per title, per view, and GOP encoding as distributors try to maintain quality levels while reducing the bitrate.
LCEVC may be more enjoyable: LCEVC is a codec-agnostic enhancement encoding standard – that is, an add-on rather than an option – that further enhances any other video codec by improving compression efficiency reducing processing power consumption. You can reduce the bitrate between multiple codecs, but you can also extend the life of H.264.
4. User-generated content (UGC) remains on top
The epidemic has forced businesses to redefine their market potential in all industries, essentially shutting down and increasing online competition. Some may call – 2020 is the year of TikTok, but social media consumption on all platforms is up more than 42%, and consumers around the world have been spending more time on social media since the onset of the epidemic. Brands had to find alternative ways to connect with their audience – without studio setups and a large budget to boost their efforts.
Instructions in user-generated content (UGC) built around a healthy community. It can also be associated with consumers who seek uplifting content that recognizes the difficult situation we all live in. Marketers primarily value user-generated content as the most authentic, reliable, and reliable digital media content.
Next year will be decisive for UGC, with quality content available on stage and watch parties’ ability. To compete with TikTok’s growing popularity, Instagram recently launched a new form of video content called Reels, delivered in 15–30 seconds to create sharp, eye-catching moments in a creative and fun way went. By updating the new Instagram user interface, which puts IG reels in the foreground and center, marketers need to suggest that Instagram reels will be here to stay in 2021.
5. Remote personal health and online fitness growth
Online fitness was a significant success in 2020 when gyms and fitness studios worldwide were forced to close their doors. These facilities had to turn quickly to provide online training for their communities. And many customers remain loyal to their home studios while the epidemic continues. Although most gyms have reopened under rigorous COVID-19 guidelines, not everyone is confident of returning – which is why 2021 will see an increase in online fitness trends in 2021.
Many fitness services integrate live video streaming to recreate personalized videos, virtually from fitness studios to workouts in our living rooms and basements.
This year, Scenario will develop personalization through In-app artificial intelligence and machine learning, enhancing overall engagement through personalized training offerings and health statistics. Also, overall well-being and overall inclusion, virtual coaching, and wearable technology will increase.
Wearable technology, fitness followers, and fitness techniques play a significant role in shaping the fitness industry. Through AI coaches, personal trainer assistants, and augmented and virtual reality fitness innovations, the future of fitness technology looks bright. Fitness brands that do not integrate technology into their offerings will struggle in the world of data and personal data.
6. Mediation wars are heating up, and acceptance of OTT is steadily increasing
The streaming wars have also been placed on our list of streaming forecasts over the past year as both fragmentation and consolidation ushered in a new era of direct consumer streaming – and this year is no different as things continue to heat up. Both Apple TV + and Disney + were launched in late 2019, they are still relatively new in the overall tournament, but in 2021 we will have to consider several new players.
At the end of the year, the competition will intensify, and they will try to differentiate between original content, including 4K and even 8K quality. But it remains to be seen how many providers the market will support in the long run.
Meanwhile, Warner Bros. has announced that it will release its full 2021 theatrical slate on HBO Max while the films – including Doon and Matrix 4 – will hit theaters. This announcement will change the film industry as we know it, and it is likely to have a long-term impact on theaters.
It is quite clear that the move to OTT and the emergence of on-demand viewing have revolutionized how people consume content and maximize profitability. Creating an OTT platform is incredibly expensive, with AT&T promising to invest $ 4 billion in HBO Max over the next three years. This includes the cost of programming the service and the loss of WarnerMedia revenue to HBR Max from movies and TV shows that outside buyers would otherwise have allowed.
New and small providers need to choose managed platforms in saved solutions to save money while building more OTT and live services on managed platforms rather than expensive custom or customized software.