Live streaming is experiencing a monumental boom; indeed, it’s even been described as the future of content despite the rise of virtual reality and other mediums. Interactive live streaming has been a prominent feature in the East for a number of years, yet has found the West a difficult source to infiltrate. Now, though, it appears as though the West is finally catching on.
Facebook was one of the main catalysts of this rise; the social media site developed interactive live streaming technology, enabling users to watch and react to live-stream videos as they happened. Youtube, Instagram and Twitter soon followed suit with the whole of social media now customized for live streaming.
Gaming industry
The online casino industry was one of the forefathers of the live streaming world, developing technology that enables users to play live card games with a real-life dealer at the other end of the stream. These live casinos have enabled bettors to gamble from the comfort of their own home.
And, with the number of online casinos growing exponentially, it’s made features such as online casino reviews even more important when choosing a potential live stream through which to bet.
ESports has also been a key figure in the hype of live streaming, with views on major competitions regularly hitting the millions. In fact, the eSports industry’s’ initial aim was to get as many people watching their live streams as possible which has certainly helped the industry’s numbers and will continue to do so.
Continuous growth
Unsurprisingly, the statistics behind live streaming will continue to grow. According to a survey by the Interactive Advertising Bureau, nearly half (47%) of live streaming viewers are streaming more live videos than the same time a year ago with more than two-thirds (67%) of the global population having streamed a live video.
Live streams seem to be permeating every inch of society; they were used in the 2016 Presidential Election and the 2018 Midterm Elections with over 100 million people watching in real time through a stream. And, they are sure to be used in the 2020 Presidential Election on an even greater scale.
Of course, with the increase in viewers, there needs to be an increase in quality. Network upload speeds are crucial, with mobile devices becoming ever-more professional in their video capturing levels and higher video frame rate streaming. There’s only one way for live streaming to go and that’s up.