Applications
Net video-to-TV solutions to touch $1.5 bn revenue by 2012
MUMBAI: While the majority of consumers who watch online video today do so on a PC, the ultimate destination for much of this content will be the TV. Hardware vendors in the gaming console, media adapter, and set-top box space are working to develop solutions that enable delivery of video content from the public Internet and connect it to the television. |
According to ABI Research, over-the-top net video-to-TV solutions will generate about $1.5 billion in service revenue by 2012. In a recent ABI Research survey of online consumers, 12 per cent indicated that they have purchased some form of video content delivered over the Internet. Of those, the vast majority (71 per cent) watched this video on their PCs, while another 16 per cent watched it on a TV using a burned DVD. Another eight per cent watched it using a gaming console as their video playback device. ABI Research believes that of all the consumer platforms for TV playback, video game consoles will lead in total revenue for public Internet video delivery, because of their close proximity to the TV, large hard drives, and the high penetration of online services among gamers. |
ABI Research director Michael Wolf says, “The biggest challenge for online video providers and consumer platform companies today is bridging to the TV. Over the next few years new solutions from the likes of Apple, Netgear, and Sony will help cross this divide, making ? la carte video download and viewing much easier. That doesn‘t mean this transition will be an easy one: factors such as video quality, pricing of content, and technical glitches will persist for some time. “ABI Research believes that while Internet video delivery services for TV playback such as gaming consoles are only beginning to see public adoption, these devices, as well as products such as Apple TV, will ultimately create significant pay-content revenue opportunities if consumer platform vendors can provide easy-to-use solutions with good quality and large libraries, while offering attractive pricing options, whether subscription, download-to-own, or rental.” |
Applications
With 57 per cent single new users, Ashley Madison rebrands as discreet dating platform
Platform says majority of new members now identify as single
INDIA: Ashley Madison is shedding the “married-dating” label that defined it for two decades, repositioning itself as a platform for discreet dating in what it calls the post-social media age.
The rebrand, unveiled in India on 27 February, 2026, marks a structural shift in business model and identity. Once synonymous with married dating, the company now describes itself as the “premier destination for discreet dating” under a new tagline: Where Desire Meets Discretion.
The pivot is data-driven. Internal figures show that 57 per cent of global sign-ups between 1 January and 31 December, 2025 identified as single: a notable departure from the platform’s married core. The company argues that its community has already evolved beyond its original positioning.
“In an age where our lives have been constantly put on public display, privacy has become the new luxury,” said Ashley Madison chief strategy officer Paul Keable. He framed the platform’s offering as “ethical discretion” for singles, separated, divorced and non-monogamous users seeking private connections.
The shift also taps into wider digital fatigue. A global survey conducted by YouGov for Ashley Madison, covering 13,071 adults across Australia, Brazil, Canada, Germany, India, Italy, Mexico, Spain, Switzerland, the UK and the US, found mounting discomfort with hyper-public online lives.
Among dating app users, 30 per cent cited constant swiping and messaging as a source of fatigue, while 24 per cent pointed to pressure to curate public-facing profiles and early personal disclosure. Some 27 per cent said fears of screenshots or information being shared contributed to exhaustion; an equal share cited unwanted attention.
The retreat from oversharing appears broader. According to the survey, 46 per cent of adults actively try to keep most aspects of their life private online. Only 8 per cent feel comfortable sharing most aspects publicly, while 35 per cent say they are becoming more selective about what they disclose.
Ashley Madison is betting that this cultural recalibration towards controlled visibility can be monetised. By doubling down on privacy infrastructure and reframing itself around discretion rather than infidelity, the company is attempting to convert reputational baggage into a premium proposition.
