The Fall of the Hard Copy Era

There was something special about having a movie night in earlier years. A trip to the video store with your family, friends, or significant other became an exciting event and way to spend a night in. The anticipation of getting a new release movie and the excitement of taking a chance on a movie you’ve never even heard of added to the enjoyment of the occasion.

Most video libraries would have package deals like one or two new releases and a few weekly rentals for around ten to twelve bucks, which was a great deal at the time, but as good as that was, it was still limited. 

It could take months for a “new” release to hit the shelves after its cinematic debut before you could rent it out for home viewing. At the time, studios would milk the higher ticket fee at the cinemas for as long as possible. And if you weren’t fast when they were released on VHS/DVD, all those copies of new releases would be taken by the time you made your way down to the video store. That was just the price you paid to be entertained at the time, for those of us fortunate enough to have lived through it. 

But now, with the rapid emergence of video streaming services, waiting months to see a movie and “waiting your turn” has long been a thing of the past.

It was inevitable that the soaring popularity of streaming platforms would make brick-and-mortar video stores obsolete, and if any did survive, they would be more of a museum than the candy store of entertainment they used to be.

The revolution of convenience

Pay-to-watch subscription platforms are not entirely new, however. Satellite and cable TV services such as Foxtel and FetchTV have provided us with better content than free-to-air TV for years, but the programs were scheduled, and they would be repeated over and over for a month. And most importantly, they were expensive. But thanks to the rise of streaming services such as Netflix, Prime Video, and Disney Plus, the way content was delivered was revolutionised forever. 

Now we have video on demand. Anything you could possibly want to watch, whenever you want to watch it, as long as you have a subscription for that service. And at around $12 a month for hundreds of hours of content, it’s never been cheaper to be entertained. 

No more waiting for a new release to become available at a video library or having to manage your schedule to catch the latest episode of your favourite TV show, or making sure you’re free when a good movie is programmed. The future had arrived.

Internet speed: The catalyst that changed the streaming landscape

When the National Broadband Network (NBN) initiative was introduced to Australia, streaming services also exploded into the living rooms of millions of people. The future we had heard about was finally here and suddenly, trips to the video store and the long wait for new content quickly became a distant memory. 

Faster speeds also meant better quality streaming which pushed the 4K TV revolution forward even faster, and studios and TV manufacturers were more than happy to oblige. Now, streaming platforms have their own studios and make original content in their ever-escalating competition against rival streaming platforms. The creation of new content is vital to stay ahead of the competition, therefore streaming companies are under more pressure than ever to hold on to our subscriptions.

One way of doing this is by getting A-list celebrities to star in a streaming platform’s original show, and with budgets equaling and exceeding that of traditional movie studios, it seems like a win-win for consumers.

The content wars

These content wars are a double-edged sword for consumers. The good thing is, we have plenty of content to choose from. And the bad thing also is, we have plenty of content to choose from.

The oversaturation of content and the influx of numerous streaming platforms, all fighting hard for your paid subscriptions, have also fractured the film and television landscape, making all content available only if you want to pay for every streaming service out there. And there are a lot of them now. Suddenly, twelve dollars a month multiplied by however many subscriptions you wish to have isn’t as cheap as it used to be. That’s the price you pay to have everything at your fingertips. 

Even though we now have infinitely more content than we ever did during the video store era, the content that we did have back then was at least equally available to everyone. 

Why TVs are now the focal point of your living room

To make the rapidly growing streaming services available to a wider audience, TVs had to also take a big leap in their function. It was a classic case of demand driving the technology. Now, every TV that’s manufactured is some type of smart TV, featuring internet connectivity and built-in apps for all the major streaming services making those services more accessible than ever.

Now your TV comes with the capability of connecting you to as much content as you want depending on the subscriptions you’re willing to pay for. 

TVs are no longer just a display that you plug a DVD or media player into to watch content. It’s a one-stop shop for all your video entertainment desires on demand.

Now that the future is here and the services are available, don’t be held back by your hardware.

If you’re a streaming junkie and subscribe to all the major streaming platforms, then you need a TV that can connect you to any and every service that appeals to you. Our range of 4K Google TVs come with all the features that will make your streaming experience second to none at the touch of a button or a simple voice command.

Download and install any app that you need via the Google Play Store and open yourself up to be consumed by all the amazing content available.