The Promise of 5G and Foldable Phones To Streaming Companies
5G and foldable phones are two of the hottest technology trends in the news. Both promise to revolutionize the mobile ecosystem over the next decade.
5G provides a massive capacity to move more data faster. It brings higher speed, lower latency, and will increase the maximum number of connected devices at once. This is a considerable asset to the mobile operators, and anyone connecting sensors and IoT. Foldable phones bring a screen double the size of a typical smartphone, yet still, fit in your pocket. The smartphone is suddenly a tablet.
The combination of the two promises to have a massive impact on one industry in particular: streaming companies. Streaming services have redefined media & the successes of Twitch, Netflix is built off the larger technological trend of ‘connected shared experiences: in a virtual environment.
With increased network capabilities and a ton of new real estate available on the screen, streaming apps – whether for live events, gaming, or communication (or all three) – will attract bigger audiences, build extended engagement and enable retention of those audiences, and, as a result, create new and more valuable revenue streams.
Mobile share of global digital video plays has grown from 14% in 2013, to 62% in 2018. In short, audiences are consuming streaming video through mobile devices at a growing rate.
The global 5G equipment market size will grow by USD 16.28 billion during 2019-2023. In fact, 5G and foldable phones will be the next force in driving those numbers even higher. 5G promises to enhance the interactive experiences of those video streams. By doubling the size of the screen, foldable phones allow streaming companies to deliver the beautiful browser UI in a smartphone app.
With new mediums for consuming live streams and new features to keep audiences engaged and coming back, new revenue streams are opened for streaming companies. The combination of 5G and foldable phones will empower OTT live streaming companies to deliver interactive advertising at a growing user base & increased value of ad-space (and the number of places ads can be placed). Traditional cable networks can also expand their content to these new forms of streaming and take advantage of the opportunities enabled by better speeds and more prominent interfaces.
Source -Todd Greene, CEO of PubNub
