Are Streaming Boxes The Future Of Television?

You don’t have to be a genius to figure out that streaming has absolutely taken over the world as of late. It feels as though you blink and a new streaming service is on offer. Five years ago, you had to debate whether or not you’d buy Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, or Hulu. Now, you can throw Disney Plus, Paramount Plus, HBO Max, Peacock, Apple TV, and so many more services into the ring. 

Some of the biggest TV shows of the last few years were made specifically for streaming. Shows like The Mandalorian and Stranger Things have had immense success, prompting many of us to wonder about the future of television. 

Consequently, we’ve also started to see a few devices roll out that might just take over from cable TV boxes. They’re usually grouped under the category of streaming boxes, but they can also be streaming sticks thrown in here too. What are they, and are they the future of TV?

What is a streaming box/stick?

Basically, it’s a small box or USB-type stick that connects to your TV. When you turn the device on, it connects to the internet and provides you with access to various apps. Remember all of the streaming services listed above? You can watch all of them – provided you have subscriptions – and many more. 

But some streaming boxes now let you stream live TV as well. Again, it’s all done online, so there’s no need for a cable connection. You simply plug the box in, click the right app, and watch live television. 

Right now, you can find a whole host of products that fit this description. Apple TV, Roku, Amazon Firestick, and Chromecast with Google TV are all excellent examples. Interestingly, you also see products that are geared toward businesses. There’s a device from LoopTV that basically lets businesses stream loads of free TV channels for their customers or staff to watch. You’d never see a product like this from traditional cable or satellite TV companies!

Are streaming devices here to stay?

There are many reasons to be excited about streaming devices. For starters, you can have all your streaming apps in one place, choosing what to watch whenever you like. Also, with access to live TV, there’s no need to pay for any cable TV installations or anything like that. Granted, you won’t get all the cable channels, but it still gives you loads of free channels to view. 

The smallness and ease of use of these devices are also pretty revolutionary. It means you can unplug it from one TV and stick it in another with no issues at all. Again, you could never do that with a traditional TV box as it is bulky, has so many wires, and takes ages to set up again. 

However, the one major downside of streaming boxes is that they have a delay when casting live TV. You will always be slightly behind people watching it directly from their television. This may not be an issue for you, but if you care about this sort of thing it could ruin your experience. 

Another minor concern is that streaming devices rely on internet connectivity. If your connection isn’t up to scratch, you’ll struggle to stream things in high definition. Thankfully, most places do have fiber internet connections these days, so that shouldn’t be a huge issue – especially not in the future. 

What does the future of TV look like?

In reality, streaming boxes will be a big thing in the next few years. If you don’t pay for cable, it will be something you most certainly purchase. There’s a convenience to these devices, and they basically turn any TV into a SMART TV. 

The next logical step is for TV networks to start creating apps that people can launch on these devices. Therefore, individuals can subscribe to the channel, but view it via the app on their streaming device. It would eliminate the need for cable installations and all of that stuff – which can take ages to wait for and be pretty annoying. How long will it be before we see things like this? Well, some sports channels are already doing it, but it won’t be too long until everyone else follows suit. 

Meanwhile, streaming services are just going to get bigger and better. Don’t be stunned if all of the biggest and best TV shows are exclusively shown on streaming platforms in the future. The days of traditional TV are numbered – whether or not that’s a good thing remains to be seen.