Gone are the days when a mobile phone was simply that – a device to make voice calls. The advancements in mobile technology have changed the way we interact with mobile devices, with so much functionality built into very small devices. Video is an excellent example of that: who would have thought twenty years ago that we would be watching video and linear TV on screens as small as a mobile screen yet getting better resolution than we could from a TV back then?
Connectivity speeds have also improved tremendously across the globe, driven by a host of initiatives, both public and private, aimed at expanding connectivity. In some cases that means 3G and 4G networks, but we are also seeing high speed Wi-Fi connectivity in trains, buses, restaurants, and even across hotspots in cities. The Spanish government, for example, recently announced plans for WiFi connections to be offered on trains and stations across the whole country. Apart from being able to navigate their way around, users of these transport networks will have access to Telefonica's digital content offering which spans films, TV Series, TV channels, books, newspapers, sports, games, etc.
Consumers are already getting used to accessing their over-the-top (OTT) services via mobile devices at home. We are seeing a definite trend, where people within a family will be watching different pieces of content on different devices at the same time. Children and millennials are the next big target for the OTT providers, with a number of services being launched, aimed specifically at them. With nine out of ten children in the US and UK now reportedly using mobile devices*, much of that OTT content is likely to be viewed on mobile devices, rather than the television screen.
A second real example is one that is recently announced by NBCU, “hayu”. Hayu will be the first all-reality sVOD OTT service incorporating curated content and strong social media integration. To be launched soon in UK, Ireland and Australia, the service comes with no ongoing contract and will cost around 4,99 Eur per month. NBCU is targeting an audience of 18-39-year-old females, with the attempt to provide an attractive and innovative video and social on-the-go experience to this audience.
This trend for mobile TV will develop over the coming months, with more and more people viewing content on mobile devices. What will be even more striking will be the rise in true “on-the-go” viewing. The increased availability of Wi-Fi as discussed above and improved mobile coverage in many areas will mean that TV and Video viewing no longer has to be limited to the house. OTT services will act as the main platform, as they are easy to access and navigate from the mobile device. Many of them also allow users to continue watching a piece of content from where they left it, which will see people starting a movie at home, and when they need to head out, they carry on watching it en route (assuming they are taking public transport, of course).
This rise in “on-the-go” OTT experiences will seriously impact how we watch TV, which will in turn impact how content creators will create new content formats. They will more and more need to ensure that they create and adapt content for mobile on-the-go viewing. It will also impact how PayTV providers will package the TV offering, as consumers will demand true multiscreen services, giving them access to the same content across any number of devices with strong “on-the-go” capabilities as more and more TV and Video consumption take place out of the living room.
*http://www.dnaindia.com/scitech/report-nine-out-of-ten-children-now-using-mobile-devices-2175944
