MIDiA Research Predictions 2018: Post-Peak Economics

The 20,000 Foot View: In this report MIDiA Research analysts present their predictions for what will be the big trends in digital media and tech across music, video, media in 2018.

Key Predictions

• Competition for time and attention will define the coming years for digital content; growth will come often at the expense of competing services
• Free-to-view video services will provide subscription services with increased competition in 2018
• 2018 will be the year we start to see music consumption shift away from catalogue
• Increased investor scrutiny on Spotify, once it is public, will see it focus on new metrics and concentrate more heavily on its free user numbers
• We are nearing peak in the attention economy. 2018 will be the year the casualties start to mount as audience attention becomes a scarce commodity
• In 2018, Amazon and Facebook will pursue ever-more ambitious strategies to become the leading next generation media companies

  2018 will see the rise of unaffiliated eSports

• Mobile games will be the canary in the mine for peak attention, with some key titles fading
• Tech major margins will come under pressure as they spend more heavily to sustain growth
• Facebook will see ad revenue growth struggle as more audience time shifts to its less monetised messaging apps

Companies and brands mentioned in this report: Alphabet, Amazon, Apple, Apple Music, Candy Crush Saga, Clash Of Clans, Facebook, Google, Magic Leap, Microsoft, Netflix, Pixel 2, Spotify, Swedish National Statistical Office, The EU