#8 - PREDICTIONS

 TV & Streaming Predictions

It is no secret that streaming services have quickly become frontrunners in the world of television and entertaining. It is crazy to think back to when I was younger and thinking of where television was then. There were no smart TVs or streaming services like the ones we see now. We did not have a choice in skipping the commercials during a shower or avoid commercials altogether with things like Hulu or Disney+. Seeing how quickly technology has advanced makes for an interesting time in predicting the future of TV and streaming services. 

1. Smart TVs will be the standard for television

    The average consumer subscribes to 4 streaming services. These streaming services can be watched on just about any device - TV, phone, iPad/tablet. There are also multiple standalone streaming devices, like Roku and FireStick, that are commonly known in the world of streaming. However, as more and more streaming services are announced, I think smart TVs will become the norm in most households. They are generally pretty easy to setup and understand and they are a much more convenient place to hold all of your subscriptions and app library. Smart TVs also eliminate the need for cords and cables and switching between different TV sources.

2. Netflix may be overlooked

    When you hear the word "streaming" most people think of Netflix because it is arguably the most well-known and popular streaming service. However, with more and more companies moving their channels online to streaming platforms, Netflix may be given a run for its money from its competitors. One reason people are beginning to look at other services is because of the shows that were taken off of Netflix that many people loved. Some of the ones I heard most about were The Office, Friends, and Gossip Girl. This caused many people to begin watching other streaming services much more than Netflix. Netflix also recently raised the subscription price which may have caused a few people to leave. However, even though I think Netflix may have slower growth rate in the future, I also believe that the service's original programs will keep people around for a long time. The most popular ones include Stranger Things, Bridgerton, You, and others.

3. Interactivity with VR will become the norm

    We've already seen virtual reality making its way into the TV universe through companies like Meta, Google, and Microsoft already developing these technologies. With this push of new technology, many experts are predicting that traditional TV screens will be either partly or completely replaced with variations that pair with virtual reality technology in the next 10 years. We have already seen this with the quick expansion of the Metaverse as well as Google Glass. I don't think it will be a surprise to anyone when we see VR moving away from the future of technology and TV and into being the present of technology and TV. 

    Being a huge TV person, I am pretty excited about the future of television and streaming services. While there are some days that I get kind of overwhelmed with the amount of technological advancements that are happening and I start to get nostalgic about how things used to be, I also have plenty of days where I am amazed by how far technology has come and what we are able to do with it now. It will be really exciting to watch as streaming services continue to change the TV game and to see what new form of entertainment may come in as competition to streaming.