Re: Netflix/Streaming Services
 

There we go, the prophet of doom declares that Netflix, the streamer that has single handedly transformed the TV landscape for the better, will soon be in its death throes!

Netflix is well placed to dominate for some time yet and the huge debts it has accrued are all part of its operating model. The reason why it's investing so much in its Originals is to ensure that Netflix still has a huge library of content to offer its subscribers. If the non-Originals were to disappear overnight, it would not make a scrap of difference to my viewing and I'm sure that many, like me, take Netflix purely for those Originals.

As for other competing streamers, yes, more will come on the scene over a relatively short timescale, but it is the pay tv channels that will suffer, not Netflix. It is true that people have only so much money to play with, but given the choice of cheap, bountiful content on the streamers, and expensive pay tv channels that incorporate hours of dross between one or two gems, what choices do you expect the public to make?

Re: Netflix/Streaming Services
 

Plenty of companies have transformed landscapes then ceased to exist/got taken over once the rest of the market has caught up with them.

It's a ridiculous notion to say that 'only' pay-tv channels (by this I presume you mean Comcast owned Sky, Liberty Global owned Virgin Media and others) will suffer and Netflix thrive with the increased competition in the market. The market for those willing to spend £8 a month for additional content has a finite size.

The public continue to make their choice month in, month out with direct debits worth hundreds of millions each month heading to Sky, Virgin Media and BT and I don't see any reason why people won't continue to do so. There's plenty of quality on demand content on those platforms too, for anyone with an irrational fear of linear television channels. There's also premium sport content, which given the prices paid appear to be the most popular/profitable content for platforms. No streamer has demonstrated a business model for this and every time I bring it up you just tell me that's different!

Re: Netflix/Streaming Services
 

I have recently been accepted onto the next Now TV trial, I am hoping it will be testing the new 1080P service.
I don't know too much about at it the moment apart from you have to have a Now TV device (smart box, stick or 4K box) and by Googling the name of the trial it appears to be something to do with video player software.

I would expect once it starts I will have to sign a NDA so wont be able to report what the new service is like,
but if not I'll try and give you guys and gals here a heads up on what its like.
Hopefully as well as the resolution they'll up the framerate of the sports channels too.

Re: Netflix/Streaming Services
 

People with Now TV Sticks can forget 1080. The wifi pickup on them isn't that good unless it's sitting next to the router. Mines about 20ft away and its hit and miss. Had to opt for the PS4 app instead

Re: Netflix/Streaming Services
 

I don't think Comcast/Sky or Liberty Global/Virgin Media will have insufficient subscribers. What I am saying is that the streaming services will replace TV channels.

Sky and VM will have bouquets of SVOD/AVOD services instead. That is the way this is going.

Ditch the traditional pay TV channels for the new VOD services and you will get better choice and see some change out of what you were paying before. Why is that a bad thing?

As for premium sport, Sky will simply set up a stteaming service and compete with the likes of Amazon. Incidentally, you did clock that Amazon is showing premiership matches free of extra charge, didn't you? Disney + will also be showing sport on its ESPN strand, and I think that will be at a pretty reasonable price.

The cost of some sports such as boxing are high anyway, whether or not we receive it by traditional means.

By the way, where does any 'fear' of traditional broadcast channels come from? Nobody fears them, old chap, they are just on their way out, and over the next decade, that will become pretty obvious - even to you.

Re: Netflix/Streaming Services
 

Amazon won packages that didn't meet the reserve price the FAPL had at the first round of auction, low cost rights allow Amazon to show games in something like four separate time slots during the season. By comparison, Sky showed 9 games on Sky One this season. None of this breaks current business models.

You think, but can't demonstrate, that Disney will enter the market at a "reasonable" price, nor can you demonstrate that at said price it could sustain buying the highest profile rights presently held by Sky or BT and that they could turn a profit from doing so.

Linear TV gone by 2029? That's quite quick considering it took us 14 years to complete digital switch over.

The fear of linear TV is your attitude towards it. To the rest of the population many watch (and pay heavily to services providing) it day in, day out, without any significant distress caused to their day to day lives. Right now I'm watching the climax of the Premier League without having to avoid Twitter in case I find out what happens on there before it happens on my TV screen (as appears to be the case with so-called live streaming).

Re: Netflix/Streaming Services
 

Well, it's likely to be less than $5 in the States, so I would not expect ESPN to be too expensive here. I can demonstrate that Disney will enter at a reasonable price, actually, by the way.. Clock this:

https://www.theverge.com/2019/4/11/1...le-deal-likely

Once again, your negative view of all this is wrong. The big question really is whether ESPN UK will carry any of the football premier league packages, and whether Disney will be able to absorb some of that cost as a loss leader.

Amazon certainly would, without question, although some doubting Thomases on here still refuse to believe it. The fact that Amazon have got the lowest Premiership package only this time around is acknowledged. However, you have totally ignored the fact that they are providing these matches with no extra charge. Not very Sky-like, is it?

My 'attitude' towards linear channels is most certainly not based on any 'fear' on my part - why would I fear them? They will be dying off soon. It's pretty obvious really but it's difficult to 'prove' what hasn't happened yet. However, that doesn't make you right, not by a long chalk.

Incidentally, where did I say that linear TV would be gone by 2029? My view has always been that they will be gone (at least for all intents and purposes) by 2035.

Re: Netflix/Streaming Services
 

Your link doesn't even prove that a Disney sports service will launch in this country, let alone at a reasonable price. It's going to take a lot of $5s to recoup the thick end of £4.6bn if they did enter.

Sky offering Premier League games on Sky One (available in the basic packages on Sky and Virgin) is exactly the same as Amazon offering them "free" to subscribers to Prime.

Again there's much speculation that these huge global entities will be willing to take a hit on the Premiership rights without actually considering why they'd bother? If they can't turn a profit from them in the three year window what's the long term benefit? As you've said many times before - these are flexible packages people can just leave easily and there will be plenty of other choices available.

Re: Netflix/Streaming Services
 

You might get a voice activated remote, which Comcast now issue to its subscribers. You may also get more search options, like you can find out what songs are being played in a film, as but one example. This is all Comcast stuff, that I expect will arrive at some point either with Now TV and/or Sky's full tv service.

Re: Netflix/Streaming Services
 

Sky Q already does voice search and other voice functionality however this will expand further using Comcast technology.

Re: Netflix/Streaming Services
 

The proof is there and already posted here (by yourself??).

Pay tv is on rapid decline in the States, while streaming services like Netflix and now Hulu have been on the rapid increase. If people want links to this proof, they can type into Google themselves, but take one example: Comcast.

Comcast is rapidly losing pay tv subscribers, especially among the younger age bracket 20-35, but they are rapidly gaining broadband customers instead as the younger folks use the streaming services. Link to these figures are here:

https://www.cmcsa.com/news-releases/...r-2019-results

This is happening to all the pay tv companies in America as people cut their cords in favour of streaming.

How much proof do people want that linear tv is in terminal decline? Will they only agree when BBC1 is left broadcasting??

Re: Netflix/Streaming Services
 

How many of those are then signing upto TV services like Youtube TV , Sling TV , Hulu Live TV , DirecTV Now ?

All of which offer linear TV the only difference being streamed rather than over satellite or cable.

Re: Netflix/Streaming Services
 

Apple TV is now available on non-Apple devices.

https://www.engadget.com/2019/05/13/...ung-smart-tvs/

I've just got it on my Samsung 2018 TV. 4k HDR content is available, however it doesn't look like iTunes Extra content is.

Additionally Airplay 2 is supported and also works as you'd expect.

Re: Netflix/Streaming Services
 

True, but it is a different method of delivery, as in Pluto TV.

---------- Post added at 08:03 ---------- Previous post was at 08:01 ----------

The big question being - will VM carry Apple+?

Apple wants to get this streamer onto as many platforms as possible, so hopefully VM will be an attractive proposition.

Re: Netflix/Streaming Services
 

Any proof of terminal decline at all would be helpful at all.

You, like Old Boy, are making the false assumption that current pay-tv companies do not adapt and decline to zero while streaming service subscriber penetration will rise to the sum total of human population.

Fanciful.