Igor Oreper, chief architect of Bitmovin, said he expects to see some consolidation of the streaming market through M&A over the next two to three years, which will result in price increases for packages.
“At the end of the day, this will result in a smaller number of entertainment video streaming providers standing tall,” Oreper said.
In other predictions, Oreper thinks more streaming services will likely follow the example of Netflix and Disney+ and provide a reduced cost, ad-supported subscription. “I’d also expect some streamers to go as far as offering a completely free service with advertising breaks,” he said.
“As a result of the ongoing cost of living crisis, Free Ad-Supported Streaming TV [FAST] services will continue to rise in popularity,” he added. “However, as with traditional linear channels continuing to lose viewers, I wouldn’t expect this to last through the year. Especially with the big ‘entertainers’ offering reduced subscription fees and investing in bespoke content to encourage viewers and offer.”
Oreper also forecasts continued and significant growth in video-based marketing and streaming across all sectors, not just entertainment. “It’s going to become more and more apparent across the health and fitness, eLearning, eGaming, eSports and religious sectors too.”
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