The number of mobile live video streaming viewers will approach 500 million by 2020 in China, generating a market of approximately $13 billion – dominating the world’s live streaming market.
China has 770 million 4G subscribers at the end of 2016 with China Mobile dominating the LTE market with 535 million users.
Social networking sites and 4G networks supported by monetization mechanism presented in China helps stimulate the advancement of China’s live video streaming industry, according to a research report released by Huawei X Labs, China Mobile Research Institute and Strategy Analytics.
The social attributes of live video, including the interaction between broadcasters and viewers as well as between viewers, are driving the fast adoption of live streaming service. Content generation and consumption are migrated from fixed to mobile terminals.
69 percent of the surveyed viewers reflected their usage of viewing live streaming videos over mobile data had increased in the last 6 months, while 90 percent of surveyed streaming hosts claimed that they stream live videos over mobile data at least once per month.
In crowded locations, there is considerable demand for video sharing via live streaming. Live event is one of the most interested categories for live video streaming viewers. 65 percent expressed interest in live streaming of talent, celebrity, live activities, gaming, sports and other big events. Stadiums and exhibition centers frequently hosting such remarkable occasions are often hot spots for mobile live streaming services.
In-app purchase of virtual goods is a dominant monetization model in China’s mobile live video streaming market.
Mobile live streaming platforms are exploring new monetization models through advertising in the United States.
Future development of China’s mobile live streaming tends to combine virtual goods purchase with e-commerce. Event sponsors, live streaming platforms, e-commerce platforms, operators, and other parties will be involved in the industry chain.
