Netflix and Amazon are some of the biggest names in streaming, responsible for 21% and 22% of the overall streaming market share in the US, respectively.
They also face more competition than ever, with companies like HBO Max and Disney+ working tirelessly to claim more of the multi-billion-pound pie.
To avoid risks of stagnation, Netflix and Amazon have recently introduced wide-reaching changes to their content delivery strategies, the results of which could be transformative to both users and the greater market.
Changes for Amazon and Netflix
The most profound changes from Amazon come from the recent integration of its streaming service, Luna, into Prime Video. With this system, users in the UK and the US can access cloud gaming directly from the Prime Video app.
The user can then control the games remotely, best managed with a paired Bluetooth controller or mouse/keyboard setup. Targeting both mainstream AAA hits like Fallout 4 and more casual-friendly titles such as Clue, this marks a new step forward for the company, following a precedent set by Netflix.
Netflix’s recent changes have focused on two main areas. The first is a growing implementation of the AV1 codec over the ageing H.264/AVC alternative. This newer codec system offers the primary advantage of being more efficient than older models, offering higher-quality video output at a lower bandwidth cost.
The arrival of this codec coincides with a greater push by Netflix to lean into live-streaming major events like sports and concerts. Though the current offerings of Netflix Live are limited, investment in infrastructure and delivery methods has set the stage for a new generation of content to reach users.
Consolidation and Diversification
These moves from Netflix and Amazon tie in broader trends in the entertainment space to provide a greater diversity of options within one central hub. In the early days of streaming, Netflix had achieved a similar goal in a broad and centralised range of film and television library. With more streaming services splitting content over multiple platforms, a different strategy has become necessary for these systems to stand out.
Netflix’s live events and less-demanding bandwidth requirements are the company’s new step in consolidating users through a greater diversification of offerings. Amazon’s attempt broadens its offerings to gamers, with the bonus of being able to guide users directly from a TV or film into a possible gaming adaptation.
It’s worth noting that this approach isn’t confined just to streaming services, as other entertainment industries demonstrate. The iGaming sector, for example, has taken a similar approach in offering multiple digital formats.
This industry has evolved the idea so far that the tools to create a turnkey casino solution offer streamlined systems easily usable even for businesses starting from zero. Including engagement and marketing tools, modular software like this is already reshaping entertainment spaces through diversifying experiences and delivery methods.
While Netflix and Amazon are leading the way in their new functionality, their new content delivery strategies likely won’t be standouts for long. Should these new moves prove in any way successful, other streaming services will inevitably follow suit. This might introduce a new level of licensing issues for streaming platforms to navigate, but in theory at least, more options and opportunities for users overall should be just around the corner.