Tag: streaming

After previously testing the ability to stream Xbox games across multiple devices to select players, Microsoft announced that it will now be available to all Xbox Series X|S and Xbox One consoles, but an Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscription is still required. Furthermore, to use this feature, players must be located in a country or region where Microsoft offers cloud streaming services, meaning that players in Taiwan who do not currently have Xbox cloud streaming support cannot use it. Currently, over 100 games, including Assassin's Creed: Shadowslayer, Baldur's Gate 3, Legacy of Hogwarts, and Animal Well, support this streaming feature. Microsoft will clearly indicate which games support streaming in the game content. Microsoft also announced that backward compatible Xbox and Xbox 360 games can now also be streamed via this feature, further expanding the lineup of games supporting streaming. This feature allows players to play their personal Xbox games that support this streaming service via a browser login on select smart TVs, Amazon Fire TV, and Meta Quest VR headsets, as well as PCs, tablets, or mobile phones. This enables players to stream games anytime via the cloud and continue playing on other devices at home. However, while allowing players to stream Xbox games from more connected devices, Microsoft has removed the streaming functionality from the Xbox App in an update, but the browser-based streaming option remains available.

Microsoft previously announced that it would allow supported TVs, Meta Quest virtual reality headsets, and devices including phones, tablets, and PCs to stream their Xbox games via a browser. Microsoft has recently begun beta testing this feature. Players who have joined the Xbox Insiders program (Alpha or Alpha Skip-Ahead) can currently use this feature on their Xbox Series X|S and Xbox One consoles. However, players still need to be Xbox Game Pass Ultimate subscribers and be located in a country or region where Microsoft offers cloud streaming services. This means that players in Taiwan, where Xbox cloud streaming is not yet available, cannot use the feature. Other restrictions include the fact that streaming is still limited to a selection of games available for streaming by Microsoft, and players must also own the digital versions of the same games. These include 50 titles such as *Cybernetic Rebels 2077*, *Stray Cats*, *The Witcher 3*, *Joker*, *Animal Well*, *NBA 2K25*, *Baldur's Gate 3*, and several *Final Fantasy* titles. This allows players to stream games anytime via the cloud and continue playing on other devices at home. Additionally, Microsoft has updated its Xbox app for Windows, highlighting curated game collections and recommendations on the home screen, along with recent game news, new releases, and promotions.

Following Disney's recent announcement of another price increase for its service subscriptions, The Verge reports that Disney+ prices in the US will be adjusted again in October, and restrictions on inappropriate account sharing will be expanded starting in September. While recent financial reports show that streaming services, including Disney+, generated $10.58 billion in profit, Disney clearly wants to further balance its playback costs and plans to increase live content to boost revenue. This necessitates further price adjustments to maintain operational expenses. The Verge report states that ad-free subscriptions will increase from $13.99 to $15.99 per month, while ad-supported subscriptions will increase from $7.99 to $9.99 per month. Hulu and ESPN+ subscriptions will also see price increases, with the changes taking effect on October 17th (US time). Regarding the previously announced expansion of restrictions on inappropriate account sharing, this will be implemented starting September 4th (US time). Only family members living together will be allowed to share the service. Warnings will be issued to users who misuse account sharing. Disney will also follow Netflix's approach, offering a lower-priced "add-on" option to encourage existing account-sharing users to subscribe. However, specific implementation details have not yet been provided. Whether Disney can successfully increase its subscriber base by adopting a strong stance against account sharing, similar to Netflix, remains to be seen, depending on how it persuades more people to pay for the service.

In its latest quarterly earnings report, Netflix announced that starting next year it will no longer disclose quarterly subscriber numbers or average revenue per subscriber, but will continue to do so when subscriber numbers exceed key milestones. The report stated that Netflix's revenue for the last quarter reached $93.7 billion, a 15% increase year-over-year, while net profit reached $23.3 billion, a 79% increase year-over-year. New subscribers reached 933 million, bringing the total number of subscribers worldwide to nearly 2.7 million. Netflix estimates that over 5 million people worldwide currently watch movies and TV shows through its service. The company also stated that it is working on new pricing strategies and plans to continuously reduce account sharing abuse to increase paid subscriber numbers. Furthermore, it hopes to attract more users through its gaming business. Netflix also plans to attract more users by increasing live sports content, such as the 10-year deal with WWE for the rights to broadcast "Raw," and plans to add more live programming types to increase user numbers through sports viewership. However, this shift, along with the development of the market economy, seems to imply another wave of increases in Netflix's subscription service fees.

After launching several games to increase user engagement, Netflix appears poised to adapt more of its original programming into mobile games, aiming to attract more players and encourage them to continue using its streaming service. The Wall Street Journal reports that titles such as *Squid Game* and *Wednesday* will be adapted into mobile games. Netflix currently offers over 70 games and announced in March that it would expand its game lineup this year, planning to launch three exclusive titles in partnership with Ubisoft. It also confirmed that it would test its own cloud-based streaming game service in Canada and the UK, with future plans to launch on PC and TV platforms. Netflix currently does not charge extra for game content; existing Netflix subscribers can play for free, but it's unclear whether this business model will change in the future. Entering the gaming market, Netflix believes the current gaming market has a large user base, many of whom are interested in streaming video programs. Therefore, it believes that combining games with original programming will increase the likelihood of viewers continuing to watch content on its Netflix service.

To further compete with Microsoft's Xbox Game Pass, Sony plans to allow PlayStation Plus Premium subscribers to stream select PlayStation 5 games directly via cloud in the coming weeks, without requiring prior downloads. The service will currently offer hundreds of PlayStation 5 titles, including *Marvel's Spider-Man: Miles Morales*, *Horizon Forbidden West*, *Ghost of Tsushima*, *Mortal Kombat 11*, and *Saints Streets IV*, as well as previews of games like *Legacy of Hogwarts*, *The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt*, and *The Callisto Protocol*. Users will also be able to stream purchased games and some free titles, including *Resident Evil 4*, *Dead Island 2*, *Genshin Impact*, and *Fortnite*. The streaming feature will support 4K resolution, 60fps stability, and SDR/HDR display options, but requires a minimum network bandwidth of 38Mbps. Regarding audio output, it supports 5.1 or 7.1 channels respectively, and also supports Sony's Tempest 3D Audiotech sound technology. It also allows users to take screenshots or record up to 3 minutes of video during streaming. Currently, this service is only available on PlayStation 5. Sony may bring this service to other devices later, such as the previously announced PlayStation Portal handheld console, but it is not yet available on mobile phones or tablets. As for the streaming function in the PlayStation Plus Premium service, it is expected to be available in the Japanese market on October 17th, followed by Europe on October 23rd, and North America on October 30th. Prior to this, Sony brought its Bravia Core service, originally offered on BRAVIA brand TVs and Xperia phones, to the PlayStation platform under the name Sony Pictures Core, allowing subscribers to PlayStation Plus Premium and PlayStation Plus Deluxe to access 100 Sony Pictures movies without additional payment.

KKCompany announced the global launch of BlendVision One, a cloud-based one-stop video service. Leveraging Streaming as a Service (SaaS) and subscription models, BlendVision One allows users to quickly utilize three main functions: live streaming, intelligent video encoding, and on-demand video hosting. BlendVision One is primarily designed for businesses and developers looking to adopt streaming technology, enabling users to quickly integrate various live streaming technologies through a subscription model. It also addresses issues such as latency, poor image quality, and storage management, while reducing the risk of video leaks. Through BlendVision One, users can convert video files into formats compatible with online platforms and improve conversion efficiency through artificial intelligence, thereby reducing operating costs. Ultra Low Latency Live (ULLR) technology allows for hosting global-scale online live events in 4K quality, and a robust Digital Rights Management (DRM) mechanism encrypts content to prevent illegal copying and simplifies content management. BlendVision One includes three main service functions: • Real-time Live Streaming: Supports ultra-low latency live streaming technology and 4K UHD ultra-high resolution picture quality. Through an easy-to-use interface and customizable video player, combined with interactive modules such as chat and voting, it brings viewers an immersive and participatory experience. In addition, it includes various video content protection options, including region and domain restrictions, watermarking, and one-to-one authentication, ensuring secure live streaming to the world. • Intelligent Video Encoding: Utilizes exclusive internationally patented Per-Title Encoding (PTE) technology, using AI to automatically identify different bitrates for optimized video compression and transcoding, reducing...

CNN announced that its streaming video service, CNN+, will officially launch on March 29th in the United States. CNN announced its entry into the streaming video service last July, offering daily news broadcasts, new programs, original content, and even allowing users to watch past content. The initial price will be $2.99 ​​per month, rising to $5.99 per month after one month, or $59.99 per year. However, CNN stated that users who register within the first month and continue using the service for more than a month will retain the $2.99 ​​price, aiming to attract more subscribers. After the launch of CNN+, CNN will continue to operate its original app service, offering differentiated content to attract more subscribers. However, with WarnerMedia, CNN's parent company, scheduled to merge with Discovery in June of this year, it remains uncertain whether this will affect the operating model of CNN+.

KKStream today (October 26th) released its Asia-Pacific Video Streaming Industry Insights Report, illustrating the application trends of streaming technology in B2B and demonstrating that its BlendVision modular streaming solution helps businesses save an average of approximately 43% on external communication costs. Data from 2020 to 2021 shows that businesses adopting streaming solutions for external communication can save an average of 43% on event costs, and can conduct business communication more efficiently without geographical or venue limitations, thereby significantly saving preparation time and expenses including venue rental, transportation, and catering. Besides applications in concerts and other performance events, streaming technology is currently more commonly used in internal corporate meetings, communication with customers and sales channels, and maintaining investor and public relations. The four most popular streaming applications for businesses are identity control and content security, semi-pre-recorded live streaming, chat room interaction, and live video playback. Cybersecurity is a top priority for businesses choosing streaming services. KKStream's streaming solution, BlendVision, offers access control mechanisms, watermarking technology, and content encryption to effectively address businesses' concerns about cybersecurity risks. KKStream also found that 65% of businesses choose semi-pre-recorded live streams, using post-production technology to enhance audio-visual quality and create a realistic live experience. Meanwhile, 73% of businesses use chat rooms and voting features during live streams, and over 90% of organizers choose to record the live stream as a video for later playback, thereby increasing event interactivity and long-tail promotional effects, generating greater publicity than offline events. Due to the impact of the pandemic in recent years, video streaming has become an essential tool, and the mass market has also become accustomed to interacting through online live streaming. KKStream stated that enterprise streaming demand in the Asia-Pacific region grew by 22% this year and is expected to continue growing at a CAGR of 16% until 2025, with streaming communication for customer and sales channel relationships showing the strongest growth. Furthermore, KKStream explained that streaming technology not only helps businesses achieve multi-channel communication but also enables them to use streaming data for subsequent analysis and data integration, thereby extracting more useful information.

Following the release of the Kiyo series cameras designed for live streaming, Razer has announced the entry-level Kiyo X, making live streaming more accessible to a wider range of users. Additionally, Razer has also released the entry-level Ripsaw X for video capture and recording. Despite its entry-level positioning, the Kiyo X still supports up to 1080p 30fps or 720p 60fps live streaming and features automatic image stabilization. It can be mounted on a monitor, placed on a desktop, or even used with a tripod. While it lacks a physical light ring, Razer provides a virtual ring light effect achieved through software calculations that adjust to the monitor's brightness. The Ripsaw X video capture card can capture video from game consoles or cameras via HDMI, supporting up to 4K 30fps recording. Furthermore, its HDMI 2.0 and USB 3.0 connectivity ensures low-latency video capture. In terms of suggested retail price, the Kiyo X will be sold for NT$2499, while the Ripsaw X will be sold for NT$4199.