Watching the various battles and interactions amongst GAFA (Google Amazon Facebook Apple) can be fascinating sometimes. The present slugfest over video supremacy is perhaps the most intriguing battle amongst these giants to date. To be sure, the brand that dominates video is going to be the one that almost assuredly stands at the top of the mountain.
There are a number of reasons that serve to suggest why video is the new battlefield of GAFA. If nothing else, the fact that every single one of those brands is doing solid-to-excellent business with their singular video endeavors is definitely not the kind of thing you want to ignore. Video is important. As the new battlefield, the winner stands to gain a lot. Who is going to come out on top? At the moment, who can really say?
When we take a look at all of the contenders in GAFA, we discover one fact in particular: Facebook, Google, Amazon, and Apple are all doing interesting, largely successful things with their video efforts. However, all four of those names are taking bigger steps to grabbing a larger share of the market. There are a number of benefits that will go to whoever comes out on top in this arena. One of the biggest benefits is that the winner will have one more substantial element of how we spend our time online.
After all, how many videos did you watch last week? How many videos did you watch at lunch?
Amazon has decided to become considerably more direct in their desire to topple Netflix. The company’s new Amazon Video Direct promises to continue producing bold original series, while also offering a massive slew of movies and other pieces of content. However, that battle should prove to be interesting, considering Netflix recently snatched up exclusivity with Disney.
And let’s not forget about YouTube.
Meanwhile, Facebook is making some pretty big moves in their own right. More than one million people watch their 360-degree videos every day. They are currently working towards virtual reality videos. Had they not been outbid by Twitter, they would have had the rights to stream NFL games online. The professional relationships developing between brands and social media/video sites is pretty remarkable to watch, as well. Apple is finally taking the Apple TV into some interesting territory, and we can’t forget them either.
Snapchat continues to do well, with 10-billion videos being viewed daily. That makes them valuable to other companies.