Apple’s pro-privacy stance, Ofcom chief steps down & esports revenues

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3rd-7th June: Your guide to what’s happened this week in the media, entertainment and technology industry.

ITV CEO: Viewers are ready for pay-TV
Speaking at the Fortune Most Powerful Women Summit 2019, ITV CEO Carolyn McCall said consumers are willing to pay for TV, even it it means having to subscribe to multiple streaming services. McCall revealed that the company is working to offer ”a user experience that is just like Netflix”.

Apple reiterates privacy commitments
At its Annual Developers Conference, Apple made clear its commitment to privacy, which continues to be a competitve factor for the company. However according to Business Insider, Apple’s pro-privacy stance could attract the wrong kind of attention from antitrust authorities for its ‘tying’ requirements, making apps that allow a third-party log-in feature offer Apple’s new sign-in service.

US demands social media handles for visa applicants
Under new rules, US visa applicants will have to sumbit their social media handles, five years’ worth of email addresses and phone numbers with their applications. The State Department claims these are new ”mechanisms to improve the screening processes to protect US Citizens”.

Netflix is nearing subscriber peak in the US
According to a research report from PwC, in the first quarter of 2019, Netflix added a net 1.74 million streaming customers in the US, reaching 60.2 million paid subscribers. With Disney+ and Apple+ on the way, Netflix is about to see a new set of competition, adding to the existing set: Amazon Prime Video, HBO Now and Hulu. JP Morgan has projected that by 2021, the streaming service will top 200 million paid subscribers globally, meaning it may have reached its limit in the US.

Read more: Disney+ predicted to take on Netflix and Amazon

Ofcom chief Sharon White steps down
John Lewis has recently appointed Ofcom chief Sharon White as chief executive in a surprise move from broadcast to retail. White was the first woman and black person to lead the media regulator. The Ofcom Board will begin the process to appoint her successor.

Esports revenues to surpass $1bn in 2020
According to a study by Futuresource Consulting, esports industry revenues are expected to exceed the billion-dollar mark thanks to its high viewing figures comparable to tier 1 sporting events. IT and AV suppliers have the opportunity to cash in on high-performance gaming PCs and appropriate audiovisual equipment for streaming esports tournaments.