From all reports, streaming is having a big influence on music consumption these days. Whether that will replace iTunes is yet to work itself out. But the fact remains that subscription and advertising-supported streaming services like Spotify and Deezer are showing rapid growth (despite Taylor Swift’s protests) while sales of music downloads fell in the UK and US in 2014.
It’s a big enough trend that Apple, in a telling countermove, bought Beats streaming services which it plans to bundle into its iOS operating system in 2015.
As streaming takes hold, we can expect to see some interesting shifts in consumption patterns. While a significant amount of streaming will occur over DSL and wi-fi, this increased activity will certainly put increased pressure on DSL performance. Add to that the fact that more smartphone owners used their devices to consume digital media content in 2014 than the previous year, according to Deloitt. In fact streaming music was the most common digital activity, followed by games, and TV or movies.
All indications point to the fact that a lot more music streaming is happening over cellular networks. This means always-on connectivity, especially indoors, will be a bigger requirement than ever. And from our perspective, that’s something we always like to hear.
Do you prefer to stream or download your music? Why so?
By Werner Sievers, CEO