Report Sees 4K OTT Content-Viewing Reaching Mass-Market Appeal by 2021

Consumer viewing of 4K content via over-the-top services will “finally see mass-market appeal” in the next five years, Juniper Research said in a Monday report. Juniper sees 4K OTT services attracting more than 189 million “unique users” globally by 2021, up from just 2.3 million this year, “driven by greater content availability and compatible devices,” the company said. In the U.S., this means one in 10 Americans will be watching 4K content online compared with just one in 500 this year, it said. Device compatibility has been a “significant barrier” for online 4K video adoption, the company said. “The popularity of online video has seen the use of set-top boxes from vendors such as Roku and Amazon soar. However, delivery mechanisms for content have seen slower adoption, as the availability of 4K capable streaming devices is limited. New device launches, such as the 4K capable Xbox One S this month, among others, are likely to spur a boost in 4K usage." With Japan seeking to broadcast the 2020 Tokyo Olympics in 8K, “the industry is likely to use this as an opportunity to drive sales of 8K smart TVs,” Juniper said. It sees TV makers selling 400,000 8K TVs in 2021, it said.