(MENAFN- The Peninsula) Streaming television is now mainstream, although it has not caused many people to "cut the cord" for traditional pay TV. Not yet, anyway.
More than half of Americans now stream movies or television programs using the Internet, according to various surveys.
The vast majority of American households subscribe to cable or satellite services which offer "bundles" of dozens or hundreds of channels in addition to free over-the-air broadcasts.
But increasingly consumers are using Internet TV services, both free and paid, viewing on a computer or delivered to a large-screen television display.
And the number of streaming options continues to grow: Netflix is the leader with more than 40 million US customers, but viewers can opt for Amazon, Hulu and others on a subscription or a la carte basis.
Live programming - the missing element from most streaming services - is now available from the recently announced Sony's PlayStation Vue and Dish Network's Sling TV.
Sony includes both live and on-demand programming, combining features from cable TV and streaming services, starting at around $50 per month. Sling TV offers live sports through ESPN, news from CNN and Bloomberg, and some on-demand programs, starting at $20 a month.
Single channels are also streaming directly to consumers as well, with HBO and CBS leading the way with subscription plans. And Apple is expected to launch a service later this year which features live program channels.
Does streaming spell trouble for the pay TV industry? So far, it's not the case, but change is coming fast.
"We are hitting an inflection point and the conditions are right for (streaming) to accelerate if the players can put together the right offering," said Jim Nail, an analyst with Forrester Research.
"We're all waiting to see what Apple does," Nail said. "Will they be as innovative and reshape this as they have done with other sectors?"
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