Wuaki: browser streaming will die out

Movie and TV streaming service Wuaki.tv has predicted the death of browser-based streaming in the next two years, thanks to content being streamed directly to smart TVs and connected devices.

Since Wuaki introduced native apps for smart TVs made by the likes of LG, Samsung and Panasonic, it claims to have seen a massive 65% increase in movies and TV shows being streamed directly to these devices.

Streaming from connected devices like tablets, Xbox consoles, smartphones and Google’s Chromecast stick have also increased by 25%, said Wuaki.

As a result, the firm claims that the number of movies and TV shows streamed through web browsers has “dropped dramatically,” accounting for just 10% of its traffic.

Wuaki said that in the next 12 to 24 it expects the proportion of streaming that will take place through laptop and PC browsers to fall to less than 1%.

“When we first launched Wuaki.tv most of our users watched movies on their laptop, no one thought of the living room as a place to stream. Now the opposite it true,” said Wuaki.tv content director, Simon Homent.

“With smart TVs, devices like Chromecast, and native apps being so commonplace, people are streaming movies and TV to all kinds of connected devices and replacing traditional TV channels. Native apps give a much better viewing experience than browser streaming, and are often more stable as they are designed for one single purpose.

“In the next two years we expect very few, if any, Wuaki.tv customers will still be streaming through a browser, and it will effectively be the death of browser streaming.”