Asserting that new platform choices signal 'the end of broadcast TV as we know it', Juniper Research is predicting that over-the-top (OTT) subscriptions will generate $31.6 billion by 2019, up from just under $8 billion in 2014.
juniperIn its Mobile & Online TV & Video: OTT, IPTV & Connected Markets 2015-2019 report, Juniper observes that OTT services are now seeing a rapid uptake with pay-TV incumbents under pressure from distributors such as Sling TV which are at last truly driving cord-cutting, providing customers with a cheaper, tailored alternative to cable TV. Juniper believes that continued growth in the established markets of West Europe and North America, along with the emergence of key OTT players in the Far East and Asia Pacific, will bring a further surge in the uptake of OTT subscriptions over the next four years.
The analyst found that over 84% of OTT subscriptions will be made via connected TVs by 2019, while IPTV revenues are set to more than double between 2014 and 2019, rewarding, said Juniper, network operator's investment in triple- and quad-play services.
Interestingly, Juniper regards 4K/Ultra HD as being a potential driver. Even though Netflix and YouTube have launched services and adoption of 4K content has thus far been slow, Juniper predicts this to change over the next two years as the likes of Netflix add more such content and as 4KTVs will continue to become more affordable, accelerating hardware take-up.
