The Internet was one of the first platforms to begin offering integrated content. Today the revenue generated from the large range of online content and services is rapidly increasing globally and interest in the Internet Economy has again be revived. Travel, gambling, adult content, music and health services have proved extremely popular, with more growth ahead.
Social networking services based on User Generated Content (UGC) are also flourishing. People naturally want to communicate, and the Internet has always provided a forum for this, from the early bulletin boards to today’s video blogs that allow for new levels of interaction. Websites such as MySpace and YouTube are proving to be hugely popular around the world, and there is no sign of this growth abating.
A huge array of video content is now also available from the Internet, from small User-Generated clips to full feature length films. However, while there are certainly opportunities for ‘TV and VoD’ applications, we see the future to be increasingly focused on the content produced by the users and viewers themselves.
Media centres in the home are also playing a key role in delivering the new Digital Media. Requiring a digital TV, Home Media Centres combine applications such as DVRs, home networking, CD/DVD playback and MP3. Cable TV operators, telcos, consumer electronics and IT companies are all vying for the Media Centre business.
DVRs and EPGs will form an important part of the digital revolution over the next few years. TiVo (USA) and BskyB (UK) are two of the leaders in this field.
The take-up of Digital TV is expected to accelerate over the next five years, and while the UK continues to be a leader in digital television penetration today, this is expected to change as other parts of the world embrace the technology. Growth is particularly expected from parts of Asia. Cable will be the dominant delivery system, followed by satellite (DTH TV), Digital Terrestrial TV (DTTV) and Broadband TV (IPTV).
These developments in broadcasting have led to interactive TV coming back into favour. Many TV programs now have an interactive element to them, particularly in the Asian and European markets, and further advances are expected in this area.
Convergence in the mobile space is also occurring with services such as mobile TV, mobile gaming, mobile music, mobile Internet etc continuing to evolve and improve. Other recent developments include mobile VoIP and mobile UGC services – Hutchison’s Kink Kommunity is one example of a social networking service available via mobile.
Around half a billion homes worldwide are expected to have digital TV by 2011, and in the future the integrated Media Centre will be at the heart of the Digital Home.
We estimate there will be 20 and 25 million IPTV subscribers worldwide by 2010 – up from the current market of around five million users.
Entertainment is important to the Internet economy, and in 2008 it is estimated that around 5 billion music tracks and 40 million feature films will be downloaded worldwide. Unlike the e-commerce environment of old, the new Internet economy incorporates innovative services such as tele-education and tele-health.
It is estimated that around one million companies worldwide now rely on the Internet economy for more than 50% of their revenue.
Convergence in the mobile space has brought about mobile gaming, and it is predicted that on average there will be more than 130 million monthly mobile game users worldwide by 2010. Mapping applications are mainly PC-based at this stage, but there is a flurry of activity and investment directed at applying this service to handheld devices and mobile phones.
