Streaming. Simply put, it’s the way the majority of us prefer to consume our TV entertainment today. Whether on Netflix, Prime, Disney+ or any other, in 2023 there were projected to be around 1.8 billion streaming subscriptions globally.
July 10, 2024 - The Subscription Video on Demand (SVoD or ‘streaming’) industry is currently valued at around $544 billion. And that is just a drop in the ocean – projections suggest that, by 2030, the industry will increase to a massive $1,902 billion. The appetite for digital streaming content globally, together with the technological advancements and innovations that are needed to convey it, is not waning. And it will continue to have a transformative effect on the entertainment expected in hotel rooms in the years to come.
So how can hotels cater for the boom in SVoD?
Hotel guests are already more than likely enjoying their own streaming content in their hotel rooms. But unless it is easy to share onto the big screen on the hotel room TV, they are probably watching on their own mobile device. That may be on the 10-13” screen of their tablet, or they could be straining their eyes watching on the smaller screen on their smart phone. A waste, no? Because they could be watching, in up to 4K, on their hotel room TV.
Casting is one way of doing this. And many hotels have offered casting, via external dongles, for some years. These, though, are fraught with issues – including the ability for guests to tamper with the devices, sometimes rendering them inoperable, causing challenges for the hotel’s operations team trying to keep the service up and running, and the potential for bad reviews from other guests.
Offering Google Cast delivers a smarter way of casting – securely, and with all data deleted on check out of the hotel. And that is exactly why Philips MediaSuite have this future-focused feature integrated.
Allowing guests to log in to their own streaming accounts on the TV itself is another way. With Philips MediaSuite, this is also possible with a multitude of apps ready for action via the Android TV enabling Google Play store access. And with Netflix ready for the guest when the hotel has this feature enabled.
The advantages of enabling SVoD on the hotel room TV
It is no surprise that linear services offering scheduled programs, with no catch up – or binge – opportunities, are on the decline. In an era when everything is wanted, now, and with SVoD enabling viewers to watch as much or as little as they wish in one sitting, streamed TV is the way forward. Offering SVoD in the hotel room is, therefore, a no-brainer.
What is more, it offers hoteliers with extra advantages. Enabling streamed services reduces the need for linear channels – and the licences that are required to offer them. And with hotel TVs connected with a hotel property management system, it also offers hoteliers invaluable management information, allowing them to tailor experiences to future guests, as well.
Casting for returns into the future
In a present that is defined by a need for instant access, and a future for streamed services that looks set to continue in growth, enabling easy casting in hotel rooms should not be an add on or even a consideration for integration. It should be as integral to the television as the television is to our lives. That is why with Philips MediaSuite, Google Cast – and all the instant connectivity that comes with it – is built-in!
To find out more about Philips MediaSuite and Philips Hospitality TVs, please contact your local PPDS sales manager or visit us online.
