Streaming Services
The Good Old Days
A little more than two decades ago, people would make time in their schedules to watch their favorite programs on television, or pick up a video or DVD of their film of choice. Blockbuster Video and similar businesses where you could rent a movie like books at the library were doing well financially, but things took a drastic turn at the start of the new millennium. The businesses started shutting down as the internet and technology made it more convenient for consumers to access television and film programming.
The Internet
While the internet is primarily used to exchange communication and gather information in the open source, it is also used as a form of entertainment. The internet has websites devoted to many different types of entertainment including original cartoons, web series (both sitcoms and dramas), as well as access to video sharing sites where you can find television and film content that may not be available on tv for some viewers due to restrictions or not having access to particular channels. The internet is now the primary source people go to be entertained and learn about the productions that are available online or through traditional television services.
Smartphones and Smart TVs
As the flip phone began to be used less frequently by consumers, smartphones replaced them, giving the user the ability to interact better with applications for video content with touchscreens and other new features. Smartphones made it possible to experience entertainment content in the palm of your hand. Smart TVs also came along with the ability to use video applications that can give the user the ability to have access to their collection of film and television content simply by launching an app.
Streaming Services
Television and film are two sectors of the arts and entertainment economy that will never be the same after 2020, as most major networks and studios plan to release a streaming service or already has done so. The popularity of streaming services will have a direct impact on the number of consumers that use cable or satellite for television services and access to film content. In order to remain competitive, these service providers may need to lower their prices in order to keep their consumer base. Some people are not using the traditional services and instead use Netflix or Hulu on all of their smart devices and pay significantly less money each month. New streaming services like Disney+ will make the market interesting to watch as some consumers may choose to have multiple streaming services for their devices and still be at half the cost of the current television and satellite providers.
Conclusion
DVDs are the last physical products consumers can buy with television and film content; however, they are becoming less available as more people are choosing to download content instead. As the DVD will fade away, it will not be replaced with another physical medium, but instead it will be subscription-based digital streaming services that will become the most popular ways to buy, store and launch television and film content.