Advanced Television

Analyst: VR, 4K and HDR major IBC themes

September 6, 2016

From 360-degree movie trailers to the emergence of 4K TV services from Web and telecom players, global analyst firm CCS Insight, has revealed its expectations for the TV industry and the main highlights ahead of this year’s IBC event in Amsterdam.

According to Paolo Pescatore, director of multiplay and media at CCS Insight, given the plethora of distribution channels available, it continues to be a great time for content and media owners. “OTT providers such as Amazon and others are prepared to pay top prices for content and operators are making significant strides with investment in premium sports rights. As more consumers flock to watch TV online, broadcasters and pure-play TV providers will come under immense pressure to launch new services via the Internet in order to reach new audiences. Social networks are also creating further disruption by offering live streams to major sporting events. Let’s not forget the importance of big data, search and discovery as providers seek to replicate Netflix’s success. We expect this to lead to some significant announcements at IBC 2016,” he concluded.

Pescatore has also revealed his top seven predictions on the future of the TV industry in time for IBC 2016:

  1. Virtual reality to feature prominently at IBC 2016

“Many broadcasters are still experimenting with virtual reality technology but we are now starting to see the first signs of commercial services centred on sporting events. The TV industry is clearly excited by the potential of virtual reality, and this will be underlined by the sheer volume of demonstrations at the event.” 

  1. Set-top boxes of the future go virtual

“With many providers like Netflix paving the way with cloud multiscreen services, the question is: why do service providers need to deploy set-top boxes? Margins are being squeezed and both supporting and subsidising hardware is costly. We expect service providers to exploit their network assets to offer users a truly “TV everywhere” service, aided by software-defined networks, virtualisation and more-efficient routers.”

  1. By the end of 2016 all major new movies have a 360-degree trailer

“Movie-makers benefit from the ready-made publicity vehicle created by the hype surrounding virtual reality experiences. They also utilise the massive distribution networks of Facebook and YouTube, which both support 360-degree videos. Star Wars: The Force Awakens is a trailblazing example; it typifies studios’ approach in creating 360-degree trailers but not using the technology for the movies themselves.”

  1. Netflix launches a movie download service in the US within the next year

“In an effort to differentiate its offerings as rivals move into its space, we predict that Netflix will allow consumers to pay for and download individual titles in addition to its regular streaming service. The move will provide a new revenue source for the company as competition intensifies.”

  1. BT buys ITV by 2018

“BT needs to broaden its content rights position beyond sport. In addition to a slew of rights contracts, ITV would provide BT with a free-to-air platform for some of its programming, an established channel to advertisers, and an attractive source of content in the broadcaster’s ITV Studios arm.”

  1. Until 2018, most people’s first experience of 4K TV services comes from Web and telecom players, not traditional broadcasters

“Brands from the telecom industry, such as BT, and those from the Web, such as Netflix, are offering the majority of viewers their first access to 4K programming. Traditional TV networks are failing to take up 4K technology; they are hamstrung by mandates to continue supporting older broadcast methods, and have been slow to realise the commercial benefits of 4K services.”

  1. Telefónica launches an own-brand smart TV in the next 12 months

“We expect Telefónica’s own-brand smart TV to be a rebadged model manufactured by a low-cost Asian supplier and offered to subscribers as part of a multiplay bundle.”

 

Categories: Articles, Broadcast, Business, Content, Equipment, FTA, In Home, M&A, Markets, Pay TV, Production, Production, Research, STB, UHD, Ultra-HD/4K, VR