For years, streaming services like Netflix and Hulu have been eating away at the cable television industry, as cord-cutters realize they can get much of the same content (and more) in affordable, convenient ways. Now that we all have screens in our pockets (and in our backpacks, briefcases, and purses), watching live TV has become a burden, with lots of our favorite shows available for instantaneous viewing.
On Wednesday, an article published by Statista reinforces the notion that Netflix could singlehandedly spell doom for the archaic cable paradigm. According to the chart, the DVD delivery service-turned-streaming heavyweight now boasts 50.9 million subscribers — more than the 48.6 million customers currently subscribed to major cable TV companies, per Leichtman Research Group (these “major cable TV companies” include Comcast, Charter, Altice, Mediacom, CableOne, and Cox, together making up 95 percent of the cable market).
Although that 48.6 million number does not include subscribers to satellite TV companies like Dish Network or internet TV services like Sling (in total, there are nearly 100 million subscribers to paid TV services), it still paints a vivid picture of the shifting entertainment landscape, as more and more viewers turn to streaming solutions for access to their favorite content. Curiously, Netflix’s rise seems to be largely self-sustained and not simply a product of cord-cutting: While Netflix’s subscription numbers have skyrocketed by 27 million since the first quarter of 2012, cable subscriptions have only dropped by 4 million in the same window, which is not catastrophic by any means.
It is possible that Netflix’s growth is partially due to its ever-growing library of Netflix Original shows and movies, many of which have earned critical acclaim, and none of which are available anywhere outside the platform. Given the staggering rate at which Netflix commissions new content (and the varied selection of actors and directors that have worked with the company), it is difficult to envision it slowing down anytime soon.
Some of the best shots in Grok Imagine’s AI-made Odyssey don’t contain actors. Ancient landscapes stretch into the distance. Close-ups of grimy hands suggest people who have touched something rougher than a keyboard. For a few seconds, the illusion holds.
https://twitter.com/imagine/status/2113712964419063911
YouTube videos could soon look better without eating quite so much data, right? Thankfully, the platform plans to introduce a new video format called AV2 on its web player in early 2027, promising more efficient streaming and potentially fewer playback hiccups on slower internet connections. The big headline is a roughly 30% improvement in compression efficiency over AV1, YouTube's existing video format. That doesn't guarantee every video will use 30% less data, but it could make streaming a little easier on both internet connections and data allowances.
What is AV2, and why should viewers care?
YouTube is changing how its Home page works, giving viewers more control over what shows up there and making some of the app’s most-used sections easier to reach. Custom Feeds are now replacing the existing topic chips for eligible users, while YouTube is also testing a redesigned top bar on mobile that moves Subscriptions closer to the Home feed.
YouTube first started experimenting with Custom Feeds earlier this year, letting you type out what you wanted to watch and turning that request into its own stream of recommendations. Now, the feature is starting to look less like a side experiment and more like something YouTube actually wants people to use as part of their everyday Home page.