Almost all technological innovations inevitably end contributing to the entertainment industry either directly or indirectly. No human being, however serious, is impervious to boredom or burnout, and entertainment helps us bridge the gap between daily “serious” life and our true “relaxed” selves.

Guest author Michelle Thomas shares her views on technology, innovations and their impact on our daily entertainment. To learn more about Michelle Thomas, click here.

The technological breakthroughs of today that many of us are not aware of will shape the way we consume entertainment in the years to come. 

The question of how technology has changed entertainment is better phrased as how technology has optimized entertainment.

For that, we need to look at the Canadian projected impact of technology in the entertainment industry in 2021, taking a deep dive into the top three industries we believe will adapt the best to these new developments.

 

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In previous decades, only studios had the capability of producing full-blown TV shows or movies and broadcast it to the general public in Canada. 

Due to the rapid advancements in internet access, smartphone technologies, and video sharing apps like YouTube or the more recent Tiktok, sharing videos is now democratized.

What that means is the barriers to entry are much lower, that pretty much anyone with a working smartphone and decent internet access can share videos and potentially be a breakout star.

The breadth of entertainment possible with such low barriers of entry helps create feasible markets for niche products that risk-averse studios may not be willing to try.

The surprising rise of the Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response (ASMR) video industry is a great example of such a niche product. If you were to pitch such videos to established studios, they would laugh you out of the room. Few could have predicted that ASMR stars could have been possible.

Other niche industries have cropped up due to the availability of video sharing online. Sports highlights, dance videos, and vlogs all have gained mass acceptance due to the advancement of technology in this area – expect more trends to emerge in the coming years.

The online music and podcast industry, which launched earlier than the video-sharing industry, has also made massive gains in 2020 relative to previous years. 

Spotify, the foremost music app today, pioneered the use of playlists based on your listening habits, to make sure you keep abreast of the latest trends in the musical genres you love. 

In 2020, Spotify in Canada has leaned more into their podcast space, which has surged due to the COVID-19 quarantine restrictions and works from home setups many employees now have. Many are finding that podcasts are low-friction ways of consuming entertainment while engaged in other activities.

 

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Casinos used to be the province of long-time casino denizens, many of whom spent lots of hours at their local casinos waiting for good games to start.

With high-speed broadband internet connections widely available, as well as cheap smartphones, online gambling is now much more prominent. The COVID-19 pandemic has also forced land-based casinos in Canada to shut down. The pandemic made it easy for us to see how technology has changed entertainment in the gambling industry as Canadian players went online to 888 casino Canada for their gaming needs. 

Online gambling has long been a great substitute for brick and mortar gambling. The real barriers to online gambling have not been a replication of the casino experience, but rather issues of trust and ease of use. Older gamblers, in particular, may be reluctant to learn to gamble online rather than visit their long-time home casino.

Due to COVID-19 restrictions, many of these punters who were resistant to online gambling at first were able to see first-hand the benefits of gaming from home. The advancement of live casino technology has also made it possible for online casinos to offer player live dealer casino games. 

This allows players who want an interactive online gaming experience to interact with a live dealer that is made possible by a live stream showcasing a real dealer in a real casino studio.

There are so many pros to online gambling as it is much faster, allowing punters to get their spins in quicker when they play slot games. Table game fans, especially, love online gambling due to the ease of finding open games and seats.

Unless you’re an extreme high-roller that gets comped rooms and special benefits found only in brick and mortar gaming, there is every reason for you to try an online casino and experience something new.  

Technology and innovation are going to continue to play a big role in entertainment in Canada. A decade from now, our entertainment industry is going to be completely different, making it easier for us to access and enjoy all forms of entertainment at a lower cost price.