Remember those good old days when you’d just sit on your couch and surf through channels, stick to one that you like, and just watch television for hours? You either watched TV by yourself or with a bunch of your friends or family members. Movie or TV series marathon anyone? Enter Netflix binge watching…
The Internet is changing the media landscape further and further. According to a new study by Cisco, which forecasts the impact of visual networking applications, the Internet will be accessed by most of the world’s population in the next five years. That’s not all: the same study predicts that by then, 80% of Internet traffic will be solely directed to video. We are already well over 50%.
But what does this mean for the average couch potato who likes to channel surf? It indicates that the world is indeed in the process of shifting TV habits. (Commercials are annoying…)
When was the last time you actually waited for a movie or a new episode to air on TV instead of downloading it and watching it on your smart phone or laptop, or streaming it live to your TV? Most people these days have ditched the traditional cable package, turning to devices that have online capabilities. Even newer models of television can be connected to the Internet. Let’s also not forget about YouTube.
Aside from affecting the business of television, this new habit is going to increase the amount of Internet we need. The projected number of Internet users by 2020 will increase the global IP traffic by the threefold. Problems that can arise out of such situations include the possibility that our Internet infrastructure won’t be able to handle all the data. We wanted regular shows, then HD, and now Ultra HD which requires a hefty amount of download bandwidth to your device.
It still remains to be seen whether this shift in TV habits is detrimental or not, but it seems like there is no stopping the Internet from invading every aspect of our lives.
I think that the TV and computers will eventually collide into one single object, being able to both be TVs and computers at the same time. I already use my TV as both TV and monitor, so this is only the beginning. Smart TVs will take over and current TV channels will be transmitted over the internet rather than by cable. I think it would be an improve to get this done, but it would also require to set up a global Wireless Connection that everyone can use. This is more futuristic, though.
I agree. I used to watch TV all day but ever since I started using my laptop – I barely look at my TV anymore. It’s probably collecting dust as well.
Most of the channels I watch on my TV can be watched on my laptop by browsing the right websites and I can do much more on my laptop than on my TV (obviously).
I am a very old-fashioned person, I personally enjoy waiting for a new episode or movie to air on TV, but I guess that’s because I am not so used to watch TV on my laptop (I do use it to watch movies and TV shows from time to time, but not everyday). But who knows, maybe that will change when I ditch Popcorn time and get Netflix instead 🙂 But yeah, I have noticed that more and more people I know are starting to watch TV online. Yes, even older people!
I hardly ever watch my TV anymore, unless it’s plugged into my laptop so I can watch whatever I’ve got on there on a bigger screen. Whenever I turn on my TV I’m quickly bored by it and it’s limitations and pick up my laptop instead.
You just made me a little bit nostalgic, my TV is actually completely connected to the internet and as you’ve said I don’t really have to wait for watching a movie or binge a TV show, I even can skip the commercials, whose at the end of the day was part of the magic of old school TV. Actually, yesterday my best friend told me that she was waiting to watch a movie and that was a really strange thing for me, but at the same time I’m still glad that she’s innocent, lol. I can definitely see how we’re getting away from the TV, but at the same time, it’s all part of the technological evolution, I guess.