The world of broadcast TV changed quickly with the advent of Digital TV. Analog TVs transformed with Digital STBs or Set Top Boxes. STBs themselves saw frequent changes with Linux, RDK, Android and other proprietary operating systems. Android has been a clear leader and continue to grab the market share as we move forward.
The real shift in content consumption happened with OTT services. OTT operators have the freedom to stream content globally for users. Initially when the OTT services started, the key target was mobile and Laptops. But as we moved further, both OTT companies and users realized that it is just a change in communication medium and the real utility is with big screens. This result in a shift for market dynamics for operators and technology providers.
Major operators like Netflix, Hulu, Hotstar started deploying applications based on Android TV, Apple TV and Firestick. And this is where the confusion starts for consumers. OTT service on mobile and laptop are convenient as all the services are available on Android and iOS platforms. And they have applications for browsers too. But in case a consumer has to choose between a long list of OTT devices like Chromecast, AppleTV, FireTV, Roku, Nvidia Shield, then the problem of plenty arrives.
The key reason is the target of HDMI-1 port of TVs. As we do not want to use TV remote and streaming device remote together, therefore just one OTT device makes sense. And the fact that we can connect only OTT device with practical reasons, consumers find it extremely difficult. Pricing and availability of OTT apps is a key deciding factor. All the major streaming devices are priced in the range between Rs 2000 to Rs 4000. Have you bought a streaming recently? You can check few of the leading Streaming device pricing below: