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Complaints about Streaming Services Surge!

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So, you have been spending lots of time on your favorite streaming services whilst on lockdown. Things have gotten quite tough finding various activities to keep yourself busy. While there is a lot of things to watch online, your favorite services don’t always work the way that you want them to. So we do what we Brits do best and complain.

Due to a surge in screen time, complaints about streaming services has also surged. According to a Media Nations Report, posted recently by Ofcom, a total of 40% of UK Adults are now spending their waking day watching TV and online video services.This is as a result of the lockdown that’s been imposed on many of us lately.

It has not been all plain sailing though.

The Bandwidth Britain Report from Uswitch has found the streaming services which use the most bandwidth are also causing the biggest disruption to our lockdown box set binges.

The research team took the most popular streaming services in the UK and revealed the ones that are the most unreliable. So, how is this done you may wonder? Well it’s calculated by the number of times that we have gone to Google to complain about them:  “Netflix not working”, “Now TV not working”.

Complaints Score

So they ranked the most Complained About Streaming Services in the UK according to a complaints score:

  • Netflix – 8,300
  • Now TV – 5,020
  • BBC iplayer – 2,510
  • Apple TV – 1,570
  • Sky on Demand – 1,030
  • All 4 – 830
  • Amazon Prime Video – 820
  • Hayu – 500
  • Disney+ – 480
  • Britbox – 310

Netflix unsurprisingly topped the list as the UK’s most complained about streaming app during lockdown. As it had a complaint score of 8,300. It’s not surprising because it’s bad. Far from it. We love it! But Netflix is the most popular streaming app, so of course it’s going to have a larger number of people complaining about it. Now TV came in second with a 5,020 complaint score.

While Britbox found itself at the opposite end of the scale with the study revealing it had just 310 on the complaints score.

(USwitch)

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Streaming

Streaming: Who’s Winning the war?

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The lockdown has caused a lot of us to be either sitting down and playing video games or streaming our favourite shows on our prefered streaming services. Or on more than one if you  are subscribed to more than one service. But which one of them is doing the best? Out of all of us, which streaming platform do we as a collective like the most?

To no one’s suprise really, the use of streaming services has increased during the pandemic. Netflix has profited from the pandemic with the most significant increase of +332%. Disney Plus followed with a 290% increase of usage on JustWatch. You can see the rise of each of the different streaming services below:

  • Streaming Service
  • Netflix
  • Disney Plus
  • Amazon Prime Video
  • Hulu
  • +% Increase since March 17th
  • 332%
  • 290%
  • 266%
  • 259%

So, are you surprised that Netflix is coming out on top? Did you think the giant that is Disney would have taken Netflix’s crown? Let us know what you think by contacting us via our socials! @howtokillanhour across Twitter, Facebook and Instagram!

Source: JustWatch.com

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Episode 351 How Long Will The Bog Roll Last?

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Facebook

Facebook / Instagram lower video quality in EU!

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Following YouTube and Netflix’s decisoin to lower video quality to help European networks deal with demand, during the COVID-19 pandemic. Facebook and Instagram will also temporarily reduce video bitrates in Europe. Therefore helping to handle “bandwidth constraints” and keep people in touch.

The sheer audience sizes of Facebook and Instagram could cause additional strain of users are more active than usual. Facebook had 288M daily users in Europe as of Summer 2019. With many users turning to video chat to keep in touch with people they’d otherwise meet in person.

With the news of reducing video bitrates it might help people work from home and otherwise get the internet services they expect.

“To help alleviate any potential network congestion, we will temporarily reduce bit rates for videos on Facebook and Instagram in Europe. We are committed to working with our partners to manage any bandwidth constraints during this period of heavy demand, while also ensuring people are able to remain connected using Facebook apps and services during the COVID-19 pandemic.”

(Engadget)

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YouTube cuts videos to lower quality during Coronavirus

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YouTube are following in the footsteps of Netflix and will begin capping its data flow during the coronavirus pandemic. YouTube will being limiting all European streams to standard definition to manage the load on it’s network.

This is following advice from the EU Internal Market Commisson. Which was that everyone should limit their streams to standard definition. As it will minimie the network congestion as millions of people will be going online to kill time in isolation.

Thierry Breton from the commission spoke to Netflix CEO Reed Hastings, Alphabet CEO Sundar Pichai and YouTube CEO Susan Wojcicki to ensure the measures are put in place.

‘We are making a commitment to temporarily switch all traffic in the EU to standard definition by default.’

‘People are coming to YouTube to find authoritative news, learning content and make connections during these uncertain times,’ a spokeswoman for the video platform said.

‘While we have seen only a few usage peaks, we have measures in place to automatically adjust our system to use less network capacity.

‘We are in ongoing conversations with the regulators (including Ofcom), governments and network operators all over Europe, and are making a commitment to temporarily default all traffic in the UK and the EU to standard definition.

‘We will continue our work to minimise stress on the system, while also delivering a good user experience.’  YouTube Spokesperson

The video streaming service said that there has little change in the peaks for usage. Furthermore seeing changes mostly in usage patterns, with usage expanding across longer hours.

The switch to standard definition should free up traffic on European networks considerably. While Netflix said that they would see a 25% reduction of it’s traffic on Europe’s networks.

Mobile Networks

While mobile networks including O2, EE, Vodafone and Three all began to struggle. As people are starting to work from home. With many customers complaining online that they were unable to make calls. With some claiming business had already began to slow down dramatically.

‘Today the industry experienced an issue that meant some calls between different networks were unable to connect. Specifically, O2, Vodafone and Three were unable to connect to EE and EE customers were unable to connect to O2, Vodafone and Three.

‘At a time when the country needs connectivity most, it is important we work together rather than pointing fingers before facts have been determined.

‘As this was a problem for a multiple networks, there is a National Emergency Alert for Telecommunications and Ofcom call at 2:30pm this afternoon to determine the route of the issue to ensure this doesn’t happen again.’ O2 spokesperson told Metro

Furthermore YouTube also confirmed it was introducing a new area on its homepage. Which is dedicated to news about Covid-19 from trustworthy sources.

(Metro)

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Episode 348 (Don’t) Microwave Your Phone

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The Boys

The Boys – Best Comic Tv Show?

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Exclusively on Amazon Prime, the comic book, ‘The Boys’ is out now as a live action series. Starring actors such as Karl Urban, Jack Quaid and Jennifer Esposito. While, behind the scenes too, the comic book series boasts some heavyweight Hollywood talent. With the creators being credited as Seth Rogan and Evan Goldberg.

The comic book ‘The Boys’ is by Garth Ennis and Darick Robertson and is based on real world likeness of superheroes. What would life be like, if there were superheroes? That question is tackled in a realistic manner, as if people did have super-powers. As a result of those super-powers, even the good guys would do some bad things. This is where “The Boys” come in.

“The Boys” are a group of superhero police who police the superheroes and make sure they’re behaving. Making sure that the superheroes of town, make sure that they tow the line. Furthermore, keeping them on the straight and narrow, making sure that they don’t embrace the darker side of their new found massive celebrity and fame. “The Boys” are a superpower CIA squad, tasked with seeking out the corrupt heroes. (wiki)

Listen to the guys chatting about this by clicking here!

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Disney + Saving Money?!

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Disney + looks like it will be cost savings. According to CNET, it will launch with support for 4 simultaneous streams and 4K included for $6.99 a month. SERIOUSLY undercutting Netflix. Subscribers can even create and manage up to 7 profiles on a single account too.

In comparison Netflix currently costs $9 a month base and that’s for standard definition and one available stream. If you want HD streaming that’s $13 a month and you get 2 simultaneous streams. Want 4k and 4 streams, thats $16 a month!

The change in price for Netflix has been blamed for the dip in US subs this last quarter, a first for Netflix since 2011. Consequently this slowed Netflix’s growth and stock took a little tumble too. 

Disney’s ESPN and Hulu bundle for Disney+ won’t have simultaneous streaming benefits. But the bundle will cost $12.99 and they will get 2 simultaneous ESPN+ streams and one basic ad-supported Hulu stream.

Notably, Disney’s ESPN and Hulu bundle for Disney+ won’t have the same simultaneous streaming benefits. With the bundle, which will cost $12.99, subscribers will only get two simultaneous ESPN+ streams and one basic, ad-supported Hulu stream.

While Netflix has a much wider and robust library than Disney right now. Disney is filing out it’s library with a ton of original shows. CNET also reports that Disney will be releasing new episodes of original series on Disney+ weekly. This is a huge difference to Netflix. Who choose to launch all the episodes at once. This strategy looks to expand the lifespan of it’s earlier slate of programming.

Loads of Shows

Disney are bringing a Ms Marvel series to it’s platform, a show centered on She Hulk and Moon Knight. They also announced recently a live action lady and the tramp adaptation which will be shown exclusively on Disney +. Furthermore an Obi Wan Kenobi series starring Ewan McGregor will also be home on the platform.

Other Disney + shows, include numerous other Star Wars series like The Mandalorian a seventh season of The Clone Wars; shows focused on popular Marvel characters Hawkeye, Falcon / the Winter Solider, and Loki. It doesn’t stop there either as there will be streaming exclusivity for other high profile films such as Frozen 2 and a live action The Little Mermaid.

(The Verge)

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Apple March 25th Streaming

Apple March 25th Streaming Event – Surprise?

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The Apple March 25th Streaming Event which many believe to be the birth of a long awaited video service. Which will be of a streaming service of some sort. However it may not be the typical Netflix type of subscription video service. But something else entirely different.

If rumours are to be believed it may be an enhanced version of the iTunes store and associated Tv app for the iPhone/iPad. The event is said to be more of an update to an already established service than the birth of a new one. The new updated platform will hold all of Apple’s Originals and the iTunes transactional video on demand service (movies, tv shows). Furthermore it will aggregate a broad range of third party tv and OTT video services. So things like HBO and of Showtime.

Strategy

The new service will not be available to non-Apple devices. But Apple is also opening iTunes video content for viewing on non Apple devices via Airplay 2, on third party smart Tv’s. Apple make more money via third party services than it does selling movies and tv shows through iTunes. According to Ovum, iTunes global market share fell from 70% in 2011 to 22% in 2018! Yet it’s share in global retail OTT video revenue share it’s increased from 5% in 2016 to 10% in 2018.

It appears like Apple’s aim would be to get people back into iTunes. With the help from their Apple Originals videos. According to Ovum, the Originals service will also be free to Apple device owners, the content may also be already pre installed in the new app! Consequently once people are using iTunes, Apple will encourage users to browse their TVOD service and to sign up for the third party streaming services.

Apple will look to take all the best bits from Netflix/Amazon and incorporate them into their service. For example the high end productions from Netflix (Apple Originals) aggregation of third-party services (such as Amazon Prime Channels) and the curation of the TVOD service (Amazon). With Apple’s closed wall ecosystem and a 600million Apple device user base and what you’d expect to be a user friendly interface, Apple may be in a strong position.

The Future

According to Ovum, hybrid services that the one Apple is rumoured to be launching will take 33% of subscription market share by 2023. While Netflix’s global market share will stabilise around the 20% mark and Amazon’s will slightly increase to 12%.

Apple look to be placing their bets on rather than building a rival to Netflix. To reimagine TV while incorporating the best of Netflix. It seems as though Apple will move into this strategy in to the 2020’s. With a TV world whereby consumers can build their own entertainment package from multiple on-demand services and linear channel services. Plus AVOD where it charges consumers a subscription for access while also carrying advertising. While 2010’s belonged to Netflix and streaming the forthcoming years may look very different.

Figure 1: Netflix, Amazon and other services in the USA, 2018-2023 (in millions)

 Apple March Event Streaming

Source: Ovum

The Boys

The Boys – Superhero Police

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A massive comic book is due to be turned into an even bigger Tv show. Exclusively on Amazon Prime, the comic book, ‘The Boys’ is being made into a live action series. Starring actors such as Karl Urban, Jack Quaid and Jennifer Esposito. While, behind the scenes too, the comic book series boasts some heavyweight Hollywood talent. With the creators being credited as Seth Rogan and Evan Goldberg.

The comic book ‘The Boys’ is by Garth Ennis and Darick Robertson and is based on real world likeness of superheroes. What would life be like, if there were superheroes? That question is tackled in a realistic manner, as if people did have super-powers. As a result of those super-powers, even the good guys would do some bad things. This is where “The Boys” come in.

“The Boys” are a group of superhero police who police the superheroes and make sure they’re behaving. Making sure that the superheroes of town, make sure that they tow the line. Furthermore, keeping them on the straight and narrow, making sure that they don’t embrace the darker side of their new found massive celebrity and fame. “The Boys” are a superpower CIA squad, tasked with seeking out the corrupt heroes. (wiki)

Listen to the guys chatting about this on the podcast by clicking here!

So, keep up to date with everything How To Kill An Hour by signing up to our newsletter by clicking here!

Also, let us know what you think of the show by clicking here!

Furthermore, click here to subscribe to our YouTube Channel to see more amazing ways to kill time!