• 3 Video Predictions for 2012: Irdeto's Jan Steenkamp

    Continuing the year-end series of industry executives sharing their top 3 video predictions for 2012, today's entry is from Jan Steenkamp, VP, Business Development for Irdeto, a leading software security and media technology company.

    1. Content differentiation wars start
    During 2012 most online distributors will have the same content available, so now the race can begin on who can present differentiated content first. Differentiation will be fought out on quality, window of release, interactive and social features. The first set of leaders in this field will be identified during 2012.
     
    2. iTunes store becomes available to Android devices
    As a platform Android is becoming significant enough that iTunes could start considering it sufficiently large to launch an iTunes app to Android devices. This might compete with Apple devices but there is money to be made on applications as well as content from the ever growing base of Android users.
     
    3. Conventional set-top box starts to disappear
    With the rapid growth of connected consumer devices, more television is going to be viewed on these new devices than through traditional hardware set-top boxes. 2012 will mark when the crossover point occurred and the steady decline of traditional set-top box in the home started. During 2012 we will see more operators and content distributors start putting set-top box apps into consumer devices as a replacement for conventional  set-top boxes functionality.