Interactivity on Display
European companies are reacting quickly to reap the many opportunities evident in the field of streaming, and the hype is on. At Milia 2001, the interactive content show held in Cannes in February, technology convergence emerged as one of the clear trends.
Multiplatform, multicontent and multidevice were key buzz words describing how that content will win its broadest audience. "By 2003, 45 percent of online users will connect via more than one device," said Paul Brownlow of Avenue A, an advertising technology provider.
Recent research by Forrester, however, predicts a different trend to become dominant. By 2003, Forrester says, the broadband content industry will divide, splitting almost equally between delivery to PC-type devices, like streaming interactive content and software, and interactive television and games, which will be the medium of choice for multimedia entertainment. "To be able to predict what type of platform their content is more likely to be delivered to, is going to be vital to the strategy of content players," say the analysts.
The market for interactive TV technologies and products is still in an early growth phase. According to some research, revenue from services offered to "walled garden" environments (where specific content is bundled with access or other services) may reach $12 billion by 2005. Data Monitor projects that installations of set-top boxes will reach 67 million units by 2003, with approximately 50 percent of these sold in Europe.
Wireless
Many of the promised "multiple delivery channels" for streaming content will be wireless, some say. The Yankee Group predicts that 57 percent of Europeans will access information and make transactions via mobile devices.
Forrester's research proposes a different view on this point, suggesting that the wireless industry might eventually suffer from a slowdown, potentially causing an implosion of the sector.
Among the wireless solutions at Milia was "Spirit," introduced by Popwire Technology (www.popwire-technology.com) to broadcast streaming media to both wired and wireless networks, and to allow archived materials to be mixed and simultaneously streamed to any kind of media platform, including interactive TV. Ericsson Business Innovation controls 15 percent of the Popwire Group, which already has offices worldwide.
Personal Interactivity
"Personal rich media," defined by Forrester as "Multimedia content like images, video and sound created or manipulated by consumers for the purpose of personal expression, communication or sharing," also looks set to grow, and presence at Milia in the category was quite visible.
The technology for creative production is set to become so accessible that in the United States, by 2005, 92 percent of consumers will create and share online personal rich content, new research suggests.
One of the recently launched sites that anticipates that trend is www.e-media-c.net, an Internet resource targeted at the creative and entertainment industries, produced by Gareth Hunt, a British showbiz kid.
The site allows contributors to showcase portfolios of show reels and audio tracks, and aims to become a one-stop-shop for online film casting services.
Expanding into Europe
Milia has typically drawn players from the European — and more specifically French — market. But the presence of companies from the United States is growing. Among the technology players expanding into Europe is SeeItFirst, a U.S.-based provider of interactive streaming solutions. The company recently entered into a partnership agreement with Groovy Gecko, a U.K.-based streaming media company with strong European connections, to leverage its local network. "We are seeking regional partners to offer end-to-end technology," said Scott Gordon, vice president of marketing at SeeItFirst. "We have proven to have a unique value proposition and Europe is currently looking for innovative technology solutions."