Streaming video and video downloads have gained significantly in popularity and now two major news items in online movie rentals have made the industry more attractive. Steve Jobs announced that iTunes would begin renting movies for a twenty-four hour period. This is expected, but welcome news nevertheless. Netflix, one of the leading websites for online rentals of traditional DVDs and streaming videos has recently announced that there will be no limit to the amount of streaming video and television shows available from the site.
iTunes
Apple has revolutionized music thanks to the iPod, and now music has given way to movies, music videos, television shows and more that can all be downloaded and enjoyed on your computer and on your iPod or iPhone. Movie and television episodes have had strong sales through Apple’s iTunes for years, but the new streaming video available from the site will heat up competition with others such as Blockbuster and Netflix. iTunes is already a household name associated with music. Expanding downloads to movies is a logical step.
Neflix Video Streaming
Netflix launched its video streaming service last year. In the first six months the service delivered five million movies and television shows. In the six weeks following that time period, sales doubled to ten million. Netflix hasn’t released the official statistics for all of 2007, but early signs are pointing up for video streaming. Of course, Apple’s new service may present some heavy competition as much of the Netflix video streaming clientele are using iTunes already for music, but only time will tell.
As Netflix is the most notable pioneer into video streaming, much of the industry’s data can be gathered from its renters. Video streaming is most popular with individuals under the age of thirty who are comfortable on the internet and watching video on the computer. There are simple ways to transfer video to the television, but many streaming video subscribers watch their movies or shows directly on the computer.
Endless Streaming Video
On June 14th, Netflix announced there would no longer be limits on the amount of streaming video downloaded from its site on a daily basis. This makes long marathons of favorite television shows or movies possible. With the popularity of DVDs containing entire seasons of various television shows, it seems removing the limit is Netflix’s way of giving customers the seasons or endless hours of viewing they want. Netflix claims this change is to keep the streaming video model inline with the rest of the service offering with unlimited DVD rentals every month.
The Future of Streaming Video
Both Netflix and Apple are working to make streaming video more mainstream. Netflix plans on releasing a TV box that would allow you to skip the computer all together when watching streaming video. They are also in talks to offer Netflix on Macs, an application that is currently unavailable (but which Apple streaming video will readily fill.) Soon streaming video will be available on any screen you want to use – including your cell phone.
