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The Rise of Video Streaming Software in the Digital Era

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Gauri Cmi


The Emergence of Video Streaming

By the late 2000s, improvements in digital technology and internet connectivity made video streaming a viable option for media consumption. Whereas online video was previously limited to short clips, streaming video allowed full-length movies and TV shows to be watched over the internet. Two major developments enabled this transition. First, broadband internet became widely available, providing the bandwidth needed to smoothly stream high-definition video. Second, media companies began offering their content via streaming services, recognizing it as a new distribution channel. Some early pioneers included Netflix, Hulu, and YouTube.

Initially, video streaming was done through web browsers using plug-ins like Adobe Flash Player or Microsoft Silverlight. However, dedicated streaming software applications soon emerged to offer a more optimized viewing experience. These programs focused on media playback, user interfaces tailored for video, playback across multiple devices, and social features. Major software vendors launched offerings such as VLC, Kodi, and Plex to capitalize on the growing market. Meanwhile, the media companies themselves developed proprietary streaming apps for their subscription services. By the late 2010s, video streaming had become the predominant way people consumed media content on the internet and streaming apps were commonplace on devices.

Evolution of Key Streaming Software

Several Video Streaming Software applications emerged as leaders and evolved significantly to meet the changing demands of users and media companies. VLC, developed as an open-source project in 1996, transitioned into a full-fledged media player and established itself as one of the most popular free video streaming programs. It supported a wide array of formats and could playback video from local drives and network locations. Kodi, which began as the XBMC media center, focused on organizing libraries of self-hosted media content and provided robust streaming and playback features. With its customizable interface, it offered a Netflix-like experience for personal video collections.

Plex was launched in 2008 with a mission to build a unified system for accessing media libraries across multiple devices using a cloud-based backend. It indexed files from computers and network drives to create organized libraries that were remotely accessible. Both Kodi and Plex supported extensions that could integrate streaming channels from various external sources. Meanwhile, Netflix transitioned from DVD rentals to become the dominant force in subscription video streaming. By 2020, its platform offered thousands of professionally produced movies and shows with a slick interface optimized for binge watching. Other major services like Disney+, Amazon Prime Video, Hulu and HBO Max soon followed with large libraries of proprietary content.

Factors Driving Widespread Adoption

A few key factors enabled the massive success and ubiquity of video streaming apps in the 2010s:

Connectivity & Mobile Devices: Rapid advances in internet speeds and widespread adoption of smartphones made video streaming convenient and accessible anywhere. This untethered people from stationary screens and viewing locations.

Multi-Device Support: All major streaming software added support for multiple platforms simultaneously - smart TVs, gaming consoles, streaming sticks in addition to mobile and desktop. This ensured seamless viewing experience across devices within home networks.

Personalization & Recommendations: Sophisticated algorithms were incorporated to analyze viewing habits and provide personalized content suggestions tailored for each user's tastes. This helped drive content discovery and increased viewing time.

Original & Exclusive Content: Companies doubled down on producing original TV shows and movies exclusively for their platforms. Popular franchises like Stranger Things and The Mandalorian turned streaming services into must-have destinations.

Pricing & Bundling: Affordable monthly subscription prices and bundled offers with other services like cell phone plans made streaming universally affordable as an entertainment option.

As a result of these factors, video streaming became the most popular entertainment medium within a decade of emerging from its infancy. Accessible on-demand content supported by advanced software revolutionized how people consumed media worldwide. The ascent and popularity of streaming reshaped entertainment business models as well.

 

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