Evolution of Video Streaming Apps
It’s been almost two years since Tim Cook announced that the “future of TV is apps.” Since then, there’s been a rush of media brands, broadcasters, and social networks clamoring to develop and deploy their own brand of video streaming apps across mobile, tablet, and TV-connected devices (Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV, etc.). This is easier said than done considering each platform brings its own restrictions and requirements that often help or impede app development.
All this to say, the state of complete disruption in the market isn’t an indicator of unrest but rather, the beginnings of a golden age for user experiences. For this reason, I sat down with my colleagues, Kyle Thompson (KT) and Matt Wall (MW) to discuss in detail, the evolution of video streaming apps, from usability to design, to live video and casting. We’ve even compiled a list of advancements already in the works so that you have purview into the next iteration of video streaming apps.
User Expectations
Matt Ernst (ME): The way users interact with video streaming apps has drastically changed in the past couple of years. A video streaming app launched in 2013 would be alien to users today. Can you explain how user expectations have changed? If you were to launch a video streaming app today, what should users expect to see?
KT: They’d expect to see fewer barriers to content.
We’ve moved away from traditional TV cable experiences, with live programming, ad breaks, and electronic program guides (EPG). Users now have a better sense of what they want to consume and expect to spend less time browsing and more time watching.
This is why the video on-demand (VOD) model has taken root. Users don’t have to wait to watch their favourite movie or TV show. They watch the content they want, when they want, wherever they want. VOD has set these expectionations. It’s a form of accessibility that is now a preferred method among users, especially when you factor in the increasing rate of video streaming through mobile devices.
Features such as single sign-on through social media profiles further break down barriers to an improved experience. A frequent complaint I come across when researching is that many TV Everywhere (TVE) apps that require you to enter your cable provider when logging in is a cumbersome process. Once users enter their provider, they’re redirected to another page where they have to fill out more information, and then are forced to return to the app to complete the process. Not only is this time consuming but it builds walls between the user and their content. With social media login, users are already on the homepage of the app and browsing libraries within two to three taps.
An even more expeditious way of addressing user needs is voice search. By implementing voice search, users can bypass the input text function and cut their browsing time in half. This leads to less barriers and a faster route to content.
Voice Search
ME: Speaking of voice search, voice command features are a hot commodity in the current marketplace. Operating assistants such as Siri, Alexa, and Cortana are connecting our devices through such a simple and natural experience. Voice command has moved from a promising experiment to mainstream use. Can you explain in detail how voice command is evolving video streaming apps?
MW: Continuing on what Kyle said, voice and search are a match made in heaven for video streaming apps. Up until recently, inputting information through keyboard was the best and only option. But now, with search capabilities, you’re drastically reducing your browsing time.
In order to showcase the benefits of voice search, we ran a quick test. We took a long title such as The Grand Budapest Hotel and typed it into a search field on a 10ft device*. It took nearly 30 seconds to type in the title before the relevant search result popped up. Compare that with tablet; typing the same title at a relatively quick pace took 4–5 seconds. The same test on mobile took 3–4 seconds. When we used the voice search feature, our speaking time hovered around 1 second, and that was across all platforms.
The power of voice search, especially when applied to universal search points to an incredible opportunity for users and their relationship with an app.
Universal search is a voice-enabled feature that’s available on TV-connected devices like the 4th generation Apple TV. With universal search, a user is able to search for a specific piece of content from the device home screen and be taken directly to the app play selection screen. It’s fast, simple, and extremely useful for someone who knows exactly what they want to see and don’t want to go through the process of launching an app to access.
*If you’re not familiar with 10ft, it’s the term used to describe television screens since most viewers are sitting 10 feet away from the action. You can learn more about designing for 10ft screens in our previous blog post.
Imagery
ME: The first generation of video streaming apps had rows and rows of image thumbnails atop a plain dark background. This design model continues today. What will happen to change this dynamic in the near term?
KT: Video streaming apps are turning a corner. More and more, we’re seeing video streaming apps ditch the grid structure in favor of rich imagery, with large cinematic images creating a dramatic shift in the viewing experience.
Big, beautiful images that stretch across the entire screen and bleed over the edges are quickly becoming a staple of video streaming apps. Why? Because the natural horizontal viewing formats of phones, tablets, and TVs complement wider images while OLED and UHD resolutions in those screens give way for higher color vibrancy and depth.
Modern devices have the capabilities to really immerse the viewer with crisp imagery and video streaming apps are quicking beginning to catch on and utilize these rich feature sets.
Motion
ME: Our brains are hardwired to perceive depth, angles, shadows and light. By adding motion designs to video streaming apps, users are subjected to a sense of realism. Motion design adds functions that are easily recognizable by the human brain and while subtle, these animations are creating experiences that are recognized on a biological scale. Describe how this translates to video streaming app design?
KT: Well, users have evolved past the press and play model. Pressing a tile with a thumbnail of the movie they want to watch and having a new page load in doesn’t cut it anymore. Users need to see animations. Users expect to see the app come alive and provide an experience on all fronts.
Think of it almost as a video game. If a user is playing an FPS in a forest environment, they want to see the tree leaves blow in the wind. They want to see dust fly up when they fire their gun into the ground. Users want to see the little things behave and act in a manner that enhances the viewing experience. The same goes for video streaming apps.
Take the Cartoon Network app for example:
Just look at the way the blocks move from left to right. Why use a generic cursor to highlight the box when you can physically show the boxes move and be more dynamic?
Motion doesn’t just make the apps look better, it helps the app perform better. A better user experience means longer time spent in app, which leads to more videos streamed and stronger brand recognition. If we’re to look back at the Cartoon Network example, you can see that animations bring a unique brand experience that would be thoroughly enjoyed by the demographic who would consume content on this app.
Social integration + live video
ME: We talked earlier on about social media’s role in video streaming apps with single sign-on for quicker entry to content but there’s a stronger use case in play. Live video has come in with a bang and opened up an entirely new market for social networks. What does the growth in popularity of live video mean for video streaming apps and why should users take notice?
MW: We’re witnessing a shift; social networks and their users are becoming broadcasters. If you think about it, the shift is a natural fit. Social media has always been a platform where users could consume and share content. That content is just now being broadcasted live, for free, across millions of screens simultaneously. Here are some notable efforts from social networks in regards to live broadcasting:
- Facebook Invested $50 million to video content creators to broadcast premium content, live from their brand page.
- Twitter became the first social network to broadcast a live sporting event with Wimbledon 2016 in full HD; no lag or visual interruptions.
- Twitch Generated $6 million for partner streamers in 6 months, thanks to in-chat viewer donations.
- Periscope integrated with GoPro to expand broadcast capabilities through different mediums.
With live video, users can now choose whether they want to create their own content and become a broadcaster, consume content and be a viewer, or comment on and share content to provide feedback and become a fan (or critic). Live video on social media is potentially redefining what used to be live, linear TV.
Always-on video
ME: We’ve all been there; trying to find the perfect piece of content to watch during dinner, only to be stuck browsing longer than expected. What advancements are being implemented to solve this process?
KT: Because of the high volume of content in video streaming apps, getting users’ eyeballs on a video as soon as possible is critical. If a user takes too long to make a decision, they might feel there is nothing of value on the app at that time and exit out to another app.
This is why we’re seeing more apps adopt the ‘always-on’ video approach. Always-on video refers to instant video playback when an app is launched. This concept is growing in popularity and it’s only a matter of time before it becomes standard practice.
A key feature needed to pull of always-on video is the ability to layer menus directly on top of streaming video.
Integrating menus with content lets users browse libraries without exiting from the stream. If you’re on YouTube’s mobile app, drag a video to the bottom right corner of the screen and you’ll see what I mean.
Leaving a video you’re watching in order to browse more episodes or titles has been a major pain point for users in the past and always-on video solves that frustration.
Chromecast
ME: Google Chromecast is one of the highest selling TV-connected devices. If you’re developing a video app for a client anytime soon, expect to hear about a Chromecast integration. Not only is the product affordable, but it’s powerful, and user-friendly; the three tenets of a great user experience. I’d say Chromecast is one of the biggest evolutions for video streaming apps because it’s so versatile. Can you expand on this?
MW: Chromecast is reimagining the second screen experience. Rather than just streaming the interface of your mobile device or laptop onto a TV screen, it’s transforming how devices interact with it. For example, if a user casts Angry Birds from their mobile device to their TV screen, their mobile device becomes their controller.
This directly impacts video streaming apps by opening up a realm of possibilities to cross-functional operations.
YouTube has already began playing with this feature. YouTube is planning on converting the lock screen of an iPhone into player controls for the app when a user is casting. This greatly improves the user experience by removing the need to to unlock your phone. It’s not ground-breaking but it’s definitely a start in putting the user first.
In the Works
ME: Seeing how far we’ve advanced in video streaming app development in only a couple of years, we can definitely expect some even bigger changes to come in the near future. Here’s a quick list of features and functions that are coming down the pipe:
Brand individuality
With new tech making video streaming apps easier to develop and maintain, we’re going to see less templated approaches and more brand individuality in these apps. This means no one app will look the same. Brands will move away from the traditional grid format and apply their own unique personality into the apps through motion design animations, sound, image treatments, and overall app structure.
Niche apps
Similarly, with new tech making app development and maintenance faster and cheaper, expect to see even more niche apps pop up. The current landscape has a few big players providing a wide range of content and a handful of brands, such as FilmStruck (classic movies) and Crunchyroll (anime) providing niche content. Soon, users will have the option to choose from a wide variety of genre-specific content providers who will offer content that caters to their individual interests.
When this happens, it will be a golden age for users as competition among different players will create the need for richer in-app experiences.
Interactive ads
Ads that cut into your content with 30 second breaks can disrupt the user experience. Expect ads like in-menu ads and lower thirds to fully integrate into your content. Integration will get rid of the need to stick to a linear ad model and force advertisers to become creative with their promotion.
Brands will take over your player window so that your scrub bar, play/pause buttons, and volume controls will be re-skinned to match a specific brand’s design.
Mobile being brought to TV
Expect popular mobile features such as press and hold being elevated to 10ft screens.
Bonus content
Remember the good ol’ days of bonus features in DVD extras? Expect that to come back with interactivity and in-stream notifications.
Whether it’s features such as casting that are causing apps to rethink their user experience strategy or social media networks turning the industry on its head, video streaming apps are constantly evolving to provide the best possible experience for users. We hope that after reading this article, you have a better understanding of how far video streaming apps have come in such a short amount of time and what’s up next.
Looking to develop your own 10ft app? Read our guide on 10 Must-Haves for an Exceptional 10-Foot Experience.
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This post also appears on our corporate blog.
Twitter: You.i TV.
