Back in 2018, Steve Jobs made a statement that probably pierced the eardrums of a few people with its stark sincerity: “People don’t read anymore .” Eleven years after the Apple guru uttered that volcanic phrase, we have confirmed that Jobs was indeed right.
In today's digital age, a picture is worth (more than ever) more than 1,000 words. And it is not the still image that attracts all eyes, but the moving image : the omnipresent video (which is rapidly changing not only our daily lives but probably society as a whole).
While older people (those who cannot be described as digital natives) still see YouTube as a mere video platform, for younger people this channel has a completely different meaning. Among young people belonging to Generation Z, YouTube is ahead (and also ahead) of television, newspapers, magazines and search engines , says German journalist Richard Gutjahr in an article published on his personal blog .
When millennials need to find out more about a particular topic, they don't turn to Google or their friends, but instead their eyes immediately turn to YouTube, something like the Library of Alexandria of the 21st century.
According to a recent study conducted in Germany by the digital economy belize phone number association Biktom, video (87%) is, along with music (88%), the most used feature by Generation Z on their favourite smartphone. Video is ahead of the ubiquitous messaging apps (74%) and social networks (61%) in terms of intensity of use on smartphones.
In the coming years, and carried on the wings of the centennials, video will grow exponentially and will be elevated to the altars accompanied by something that experts often overlook: audio.
Wandering through the streets, there is one omnipresent image: that of people (young and not so young) with wireless headphones embedded in their ears both to listen to music and to watch, and of course listen to, videos.
Without audio, video, which is so eagerly consumed by millennials, is actually left without any charm.
The overwhelming boom that is coming with video as the protagonist will also be greatly contributed to by 5G technology .
Video is a real data-sucking “vampire” and as such is also a luxury (even in first world countries) . With 5G, video consumption will be much more fluid and free of frictions such as long loading times and insufficient network connection.
When 5G emerges on the horizon and becomes mainstream, video will inevitably take the crown of king of the media , Jahr concludes.