What to Expect from TV in the Decade Ahead

The year unfolding is already chock full of developments that can impact the nine years to follow amp160Start with the expanding capacity and capabilities of smart TV sets and TVconnected devices now used in the majority of American households amp160As 2020 begins viewers can use them to do more than watch the biggest menu of original content options at their disposal amp160They can play video games with or without a controller rather than an expensive console order products and services connect with family members and friends by video as well as voice and manage other features of their home or apartment from room temperature to the front doorSome of those abilities come from the fastgrowing supply of TV sets and devices with artificial intelligencepowered voice features like Alexa Google Assistant Siri Cortina and Bixby amp160How many more abilities come into play depends on how quickly these voice features take on expanded vocabulary and as panelists at the Internet of Things Consortiumsponsored Next conference in New York suggested two months ago work with AIcrafted video handiwork amp160That combination may set the foundation for smart TVs and devices to evolve into important hubs for smart home features of any kind by the end of the decadeAll that took a back seat at last weekamp8217s CES the annual consumer technology show in Las Vegas attended by more than 170000 people observing exhibits and speakers from 4400plus companies one of every three a startup operation amp160Smart TV set and device makers spent little time on the CES floor in press conferences or panel sessions bringing up their latest smart programming apps features or distributed content amp160Instead their focus was on the nature or picture quality of their 2020 models amp8211 rollable foldable curveable upgraded to higher definition transmission 8K and dynamic range levelsamp160 From afar I did not attend the impression was that the media on site was more impressed by new plantbased food options or selfdriving cars than a reservoir of TV advancementsOne of the few smart apps introduced at CES came from LG in partnership with video commerce tech developer The Take amp160In a few months LGamp8217s WebOSequipped TVs and an AI process developed by The Take will allow viewers to shop at random for items showcased on individual TV programs or channels Fashion home furnishings consumer electronics and household products will be featured initially along with groceries for specific recipes and menus amp160Separately The Take will offer its interactive amp8220Shoppable TVamp8221 mechanism for deployment among various programmers as well as cable operators through their settop boxesamp160 The charter programming players include WarnerMedia AE Crown Media and NBC UniversalOther CES developments that didnamp8217t get much media traction included Amazon Fire TVamp8217s growing status as a TV set operating system and new initiatives with cable system owners amp160At least three set makers including top worldwide seller Skyworth will introduce new 2020 models with Fire TV as their operating systems and Alexa for voice controlsamp160 In another initiative the National Cable TV Cooperative whose membership serves more than eight million customers in rural or suburban locations will market Fire TV streaming sticks and plugin products later this yearDeployment of 5G transmission technology inside smart TVs and connected devices did get considerable attention during CES according to Melva Benoit head of media and entertainment at Reach3 Insights amp160The double dip of expanded channel capacity and wider dependable latency available through 5G can open the door for new videononvideo networks and applicationsamp160amp160Note Benoit was a guest on my Tomorrow Will Be Televisedamp160internet radio program last weekPublic and private 5G conversation in Las Vegas also incorporated NextGen TV specifically the launch by broadcast stations around the country of ATSC 30 the latest advanced TV transmission format to deliver new services to viewers overtheairamp160 Stations covering the top 60 markets are expected to market NextGen TV offerings by the end of 2020 with the rest of the US in the NextGen TV fold within two or three years amp160So far Samsung LG and Sony have pledged to make and market NextGen TVcompatible sets with other makers expected to join that trio in the coming weeksOne last surprise at CES was the absence of interactive TV ventures demonstrated there coming off a fall season highlighted by the launches of Food Network Kitchen from Discovery and Portal TV at Facebook both drawing consumer attention via wellmade TV ad campaignsamp160 In Portalamp8217s case what started as a video chat tool three months ago operates more like an allpurpose smart TV device with each passing week especially with groundbreaking augmented reality apps amp160Another notable noshow Eko the chooseyourowndirection programming venture with Samsung Walmart and MGM as key investorsDespite missing a huge opportunity to make waves at CES this columnist maintains a strong suspicion that before 2020 wraps Eko will be available nationwide on smart TVs amp160Two options at play work inside Walmartamp8217s Vudu videoondemand service or a roll out its own platformPhoto courtesy of Loeweamp160Technologies UnsplashClick on the social media tiles above or below to share this content with your friends and colleaguesThe opinions and points of view expressed in this commentary are exclusively those of the author andor subjects and do not necessarily represent the views of MediaVillagecomMyersBizNet Inc management or associated bloggersamp160amp160

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What to Expect from TV in the Decade Ahead

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Simon Applebaum

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What to Expect from TV in the Decade Ahead

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