A report from InterDigital and Futuresource highlights audio-video experiences that will only be available using 5G networks.
“Significant engineering and innovation has shaped the emergence of 5G and we are beginning to realise the benefits of this enhanced wireless ecosystem, particularly for video and video-enabled experiences,” said Henry Tirri, Chief Technology Officer, InterDigital.
“This report in partnership with Futuresource Consulting highlights myriad applications for 5G in the video realm where consumers are demanding increasingly ubiquitous and immersive experiences.”
Every mobile network generation has enabled innovative applications. The high speeds, low latency, and improved reliability of 5G networks will unlock new opportunities. However, many consumers are still waiting on the sidelines for the applications that are only possible on 5G.
For their report, the researchers looked for some of the “killer applications” that will prove why 5G doesn’t just improve current experiences but is needed for brand new ones. The report’s authors also examined some of the more general benefits that 5G will deliver.
According to the report, here are some of the opportunities 5G will unlock:
- Live broadcast video. Gone will be the days of stuttering video at significant delays and high costs being a barrier. 5G will enable anyone – from influencers to journalists and even citizen reporters – to broadcast in near real-time with much higher quality and reliability.
“5G is expected to bring greater simplicity and flexibility to camera signal delivery, which has historically involved complex combinations of wired and wireless technologies. As a result, video delivered over 5G holds the promise of reduced production costs.”
- Expanding reach. 5G will enable richer content to be provided to a wider audience and range of devices—including AR/VR headsets.
“LTE broadcast capability is an integral part of the 5G standard, which offers an alternative to traditional satellite, cable, and terrestrial television distribution – optimizing bandwidth usage and minimizing distribution costs.”
- Transforming live events. Live events, especially in rural locations without access to fibre, will be transformed from 5G networks that can provide greater flexibility than previously possible. The pandemic accelerated remote production and 5G networks will support the future of how people work, especially in the media/broadcast industry.
“Broadcasters increasingly depend on wireless networks for everything from uploading news stories from the field to using LTE-enabled video cameras during live sporting events, and 5G will no doubt extend the bandwidth and boost reliability of these transmissions.”
- Driving new VR and metaverse experiences. Excitement is growing about how VR and the metaverse can revolutionise how we work and play. However, previous mobile networks have suffered from high latency—increasing feelings of nausea and harming the overall enjoyment and adoption of such experiences.
5G, especially combined with edge computing, can deliver ultra-low latency and support high-density data required for enjoyable mobile VR and metaverse experiences.
“In addition, linking future VR devices to cloud-based GPUs via a 5G connection could help reduce hardware costs and improve device capability for consumers, with the potential to encourage greater market adoption.”
- New codecs to support more efficient UHD content transmission. Codecs like Versatile Video Coding (VVC) and Deep Neural Network Video Coding (DNNVC) are emerging to improve the transmission of ultra-high definition (UHD) content and make it accessible to more people in more locations.
“The compression benefits delivered by industry’s array of new and existing codecs enables richer video content to be delivered at lower costs to video providers and with lower latency to meet broadcaster needs.”
“Unquestionably, all existing video applications will be ‘better on 5G’,” said Simon Forrest, Principal Technology Analyst at Futuresource. “The challenge now is for industry to develop new audio-visual experiences that can happen ‘only on 5G’.”
The full report can be found here (registration required)
(Photo by Frederik Lipfert on Unsplash)
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