We live in the age of the internet of things, a concept that states that the internet has transcended from just being an intangible service and has manifested in physical form. This physical form is showcased through the internet-powered devices that we see all over our surroundings, the concept of smart devices is the prime example of this. Apart from that, we all see that the internet has gripped all aspects of life whether it is related to our professional or personal life. On the work front, the whole corporate sector has become internet dependent and the importance of the internet skyrocketed during the pandemic when the internet was the sole lifeline of all corporate activities concepts like collaborative working over the web and work from home trend was entirely dependent on the internet through which most of the office work was conducted. Most business activities also used the web and when businesses were closed we saw a digital alternative for stores and restaurants.
As the internet proved to be the elixir of life for the economy of the world it also helped sustain the entertainment activities when the entertainment industry faced a huge blow due to the closure of cinemas and production halt on many big-budget movies and TV shows. This support was provided through streaming and OTT platforms that helped breathe a new life into the dying entertainment industry where producers were being worried about where to release their ambitious projects. Now we see that most new movies have an OTT release and many original movies are also created by the platforms that not only have a big budget but stellar casts as well. Service providers have also realized that cable is a dying industry so they have shifted their focus to streaming. One such example of a provider is Cox that gives customers their streaming app free of cost with all Cox cable packages.
Cord Cutting and Era of Streaming
Apart from being the only viable option for visual entertainment, there were quite a few other major reasons behind this huge support of streaming services. The cable TV industry is on a constant decline since the past decade because of the tough completion provided by its competitors like streaming platforms. Not only streaming and over the internet TV services are cost-effective but they provide a plethora of ready-to-watch content at the user’s fingertips. The huge library surpasses anything available on the cable and new content including new movies and shows released on these platforms has made viewers inclined towards these services. The cost has also been a major driving force behind this change since streaming subscriptions only cost a fraction of what users have to pay for cable TV. Today majority of people have internet services for various day-to-day tasks and since all these modern forms of viewing platforms work over the internet it made no sense to people to pay for an extra service that can already get on the internet.
On the flip side, cable connections also don’t come cheap, as a basic cable package can cost anywhere from $35 to $65 per month. That is just the monthly subscription cost and after adding equipment charges, taxes, and other miscellaneous fees this cost can easily go up to $100. If users add premium channels or high cable tiers the price can easily go as high as $300. It is not a feasible option as the average purchasing power has shrunk quite a bit after the pandemic which severely impacted the economy and pushed many people to the brink of unemployment. In times like these, the general population didn’t have the means to afford a luxury like a cable subscription, and that’s why they looked for better and cost-effective resources thus cutting the cord in the process, which became a full-fledged trend.
Streaming Apps from Cable Providers
The trend of streaming has been growing since 2011 after Netflix, arguably the biggest streaming platform gripped the world. Stats suggest that streaming will overtake almost half of cable’s market stake as early as 2024. Many giants of the cable industry have also realized this changing consumer trend and to stay relevant have launched their streaming platforms. Here we discuss the best streaming platforms from some of the biggest cable providers in the market.
Spectrum TV App
The first place is taken by Spectrum the second-biggest provider in the USA in terms of the consumer base. Spectrum TV app comes as a standard with every cable package or users can exclusively subscribe to only the app through the Spectrum TV Stream package. As the name suggests the Spectrum TV App allows users to watch their favorite TV channels which are part of their Spectrum TV package on the go. Along with that, there are features like on-demand content, parental control, and users can also access their DVR over the cloud and watch their recorded shows. This app is compatible with standard iOS and Android Devices plus with native connectivity to gaming consoles like Xbox, Smart TVs including Samsung Smart TV operating system, Roku, Apple TV, and Chromecast.
Contour App
Then comes the app from the most popular provider of Cable TV in the USA, Cox Cable. Cox is the third-largest cable TV provider in America and rightly so because their Contour TV is the most advanced Cable TV. The same goes for the Contour App, it comes with standard features like Parental control and to watch live TV programming included channels like HBO Max that are included in your channel package. Plus thousands of movies from an on-demand library of content, users can schedule and watch recordings on their DVR all through the app. Contour TV app is a standard inclusion with cable bundle from Cox Communications.
Xfinity Stream App
Last but certainly not least the Xfinity Stream App from Comcast-backed service provider Xfinity is the biggest one in the US according to market share. The Xfinity Stream App has the motto “Take the Entertainment Wherever You Go” this is exactly what this app does. A part of every Xfinity cable package the streaming app allows you to watch live TV, Sports, and on-demand content directly from your wireless device like smartphones and tablets. With options to schedule DVR recordings and even download and watch content offline all through the Xfinity Stream App.
Conclusion
Streaming is the future of the entertainment industry, this is something that the giants of the cable industry have realized already. No amount of discounts or deals are going to stop the takeover of traditional cable TV by streaming. This is why we are seeing that every major cable provider has launched their streaming service like the ones mentioned above. In the wake of this change in trend, this is the right decision, considering the future is going to be dominated by streaming.
