online video usersABI Research has recently released figures which predict the number of online video viewers around the world will increase from 780 million to 1.3 billion by 2016.

The study, Over the Top (OTT) and Through the Middle, explains that this increase can be largely attributed to the rapidly increasing OTT video industry, with companies such as Netflix, Hulu and Apple´s iTunes remaining at the forefront. The survey identifies Netflix as the clear frontrunner in OTT revenues, with iTunes and Hulu each representing around 15% of the market. The OTT industry is not only expected to see an increase in content but also more enhanced ways of accessing and recommending it.

Jason Blackwell, practice director at ABI Research stated that “Content discovery is just one example of the rapidly changing environment, with traditional program guides being supplemented by search and recommendations”.

So as more and more consumers engage with online video, and access beyond the computer screen continues to increase, it’s looking extremely likely that the number of online video users will surpass the 1 billion mark within five years.

Watch this space!