Cobalt 2022 News, Insights and Updates…
Can you believe that we’re already several weeks into 2022!
Winter will soon be over and we’re very much hoping that the COVID situation will ease considerably this year, allowing people to get back to a continued sense of normality. As we look ahead to NAB 2022 and our plans for the year, we are excited to share some Cobalt news, insights, and updates. Incredibly, we’ve been setting sales records month after month and the first few weeks of this year have already been exceptionally busy. We’ve also expanded our presence in Asia with a Representative Office in China, and we have strengthened our international sales team with the addition of Berend Blokzijl as Director of Sales for Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA). Let’s say that we are optimistic, albeit cautiously, that this year will continue on an upward projectile with creative technologies emerging constantly to accommodate a drastically changed broadcast environment brought on by the pandemic.
So, what emerging trends does Cobalt envisage for 2022? The increase in programming delivered over IP will continue this year. News coverage, TV shows and films have accounted for the most significant growth, but the use of streaming services for video games, computers, podcasts, listening applications like audible books, and consumer-produced media has escalated substantially as well. And the COVID pandemic made digital meeting applications such as ZOOM, GoToMeeting, GOOGLE Meets and more, a vital necessity to maintain both business and social communications. Supporting all of these is an explosion of streaming technology that incorporates high speed and low latency capabilities to reward those spending time on social media, messaging services, and network TV with a superior viewing experience.
Virtual reality and AI technology are also now adding to the possibilities with multiple levels of control providing the end user with the ability to select their own preferred view, audio reproduction and more. Moving forward this need will only grow. Also, data catching capabilities will enable providers to identify individual end-users.
At Cobalt, we’ve learned a lot about running a business in a global pandemic and the last two years have taught us that we operate in a very innovative and resilient industry. The world was hungry for information and broadcasters had to pivot, invent and
reinvent ways to work remotely without compromising production, quality of delivery, or quality of viewer experience. Lessons learned? Remain flexible and adaptable. Always keep the goal in your crosshairs and don’t let the situation overwhelm you or your resources. Instead, develop or adapt the resources to deal with the situation.