> **来源：[研报客](https://pc.yanbaoke.cn)** # 9th Annual Bitmovin Video Developer Report Summary (2025/2026 Edition) ## Core Content Overview The 9th Annual Bitmovin Video Developer Report provides a comprehensive analysis of the current state of the streaming industry, focusing on the challenges, innovations, and trends that video developers are encountering. The report highlights key areas such as video encoding, player development, analytics, and monetization strategies, emphasizing the evolving landscape driven by cost control, AI integration, and multi-cloud adoption. ## Key Findings ### Cost Control and Monetization Pressures - **Cost control** (bandwidth, storage) is now the top challenge at **38%**, surpassing **ad insertion** (35%). - **Monetization models** are diversified, with **AVOD (37%)** and **SVOD (36%)** being the most common, while **FAST (26%)** adoption remains strong. - **SSAI** is the leading ad architecture, with **SGAI** emerging as a new trend for richer user experiences. ### Workflow and Delivery Strategies - **Multi-cloud strategies** are gaining relevance, offering increased resiliency and flexibility. - **Commercial solutions** are replacing in-house builds for encoding, DRM, CDNs, and players, enabling faster time-to-market and supported features. - **VOD encoding** is shifting toward **public cloud software**, while **live encoding** still relies heavily on **on-premises hardware**. ### Innovation Opportunities - **Monetization**, **personalization**, and **live performance** are the top innovation priorities. - **AI-generated recommendations** (19%) and **live streaming at scale** (12%) are also key areas of interest. ### AI Adoption - **AI is mainstream and ROI-driven**, with **audio transcription/speech-to-text** (46%) and **personalization** (35%) leading in application. - **Tagging and categorization** (35%) and **recommendations** (33%) are also widely used. - **Generative AI** is emerging but remains limited, while **no plans to use AI/ML** are reported by only **4%** of respondents. ## Video Encoding Trends ### Encoding Location - **Private cloud or on-prem software** is the most common for both live (30%) and VOD (32%) encoding. - **Hardware appliances** are still prevalent for live encoding (29%) but less so for VOD. ### Encoder Choices - **Commercial encoders** are preferred for live workflows (48%) due to reliability and vendor support. - **Open-source** and **in-house builds** are more common for VOD (29% and 24%, respectively). ### Video Codecs - **H.264/AVC** (65%) is still the dominant codec in production. - **HEVC** (41%) is popular for 4K/HDR content. - **AV1** (21%) is growing due to expanding hardware support. - **VVC** is niche but shows early interest for future bandwidth-efficient workflows. ### Audio Codecs - **AAC** (60%) is the most widely used for its broad compatibility. - **Dolby Digital/Dolby Digital Plus** (29%) and **Dolby Atmos** (growing) are becoming more common in premium content. - **Opus** (gaining traction) and **MP3** (for compatibility and archives) are also used. ## Streaming Formats ### Live Contribution Feeds - **HLS (43%)** and **SRT (40%)** are the most commonly used formats for live feeds. - **RTMP** is still notable at 36% for compatibility. - **RIST** and **WebRTC** are used in targeted trials for low-latency workflows. ### Distribution Streaming Formats - **HLS (61%)** is the most common for distribution, supported by CTV and mature SSAI/DRM workflows. - **DASH (46%)** is growing, especially on Android and browsers. - **CMAF (23%)** is gaining momentum due to its efficiency and support for low-latency variants. - **WebRTC (11%)** is expanding for real-time applications like auctions and sports betting. ## Low-Latency Streaming - **LL-HLS (26%)** is the most used for low-latency streaming, supported by iOS/tvOS and CTV ecosystems. - **LL-DASH (19%)** is also used, particularly for Android and web-based delivery. - **WebRTC** is the preferred choice for **true sub-second latency** in interactive use cases. ## Content-Aware Encoding - **Content-aware encoding** is gaining traction but not yet mainstream. - **46%** report no plans to adopt, while **27%** are already using it and **27%** plan to implement it within 12 months. - Early deployments often pair per-title or per-scene optimization with newer codecs like **HEVC** or **AV1** to maximize efficiency in VOD workflows. ## Video Player Insights ### Platform and Device Support - **Web (HTML5)** is the most supported platform at **58%**, offering cross-platform reach and zero-install access. - **Mobile (iOS and Android)** is foundational, with **iOS (42%)** and **Android (40%)** apps leading. - **CTV (Apple TV, Android TV)** is also widely supported, with **Apple TV (40%)** and **Android TV (38%)** at the forefront. - **Niche platforms** like Fire TV, Roku, and operator platforms are also supported where justified. ### Player Codebase - **Commercial players** are the most common choice (33%), especially for teams needing faster deployment and cross-platform consistency. - **Hybrid stacks** (18%) combine commercial, open-source, and native players for flexibility. - **Fully custom builds** are rare (6%), due to the high maintenance burden. ### Content Types - **Long-form on-demand** (51%) and **live streaming** (43%) are the most common content types. - **Short-form VOD** (40%) is also prevalent, balancing catalog depth with quick engagement. - **User-generated content** (10%) is less common, reflecting the industry's focus on premium content. ## Video Analytics ### Analytics Providers - **Google Analytics** (27%) and **in-house solutions** (26%) are the most common. - **Specialist providers** like **Bitmovin (16%)** and **Conviva (14%)** offer granular playback visibility, including startup time and rebuffering. - **NPAW** (13%) is also gaining adoption for QoE metrics tied to retention and monetization. ### Access to Analytics Data - **BI tools** (43%) are the most common for accessing analytics data, with **dashboards** like Grafana, Looker Studio, and Tableau. - **In-house dashboards** (29%) are also widely used for customized visibility and governance. - **APIs and database queries** (23%) are used for engineering-driven control. ### Performance Metrics - **Error rates** (36%) and **buffering/rebuffering** (31%) are the most important metrics for viewer frustration. - **Video start failures** (25%) and **startup time** (19%) follow, indicating a focus on smooth playback. - **Bitrate delivered** and **latency** are important but secondary, while **perceptual quality scores** are less emphasized. ## Development Time and Issue Resolution - **Maintenance time** for players and analytics solutions varies significantly. - **24%** spend 5+ days per month on maintenance, often due to complex stacks or custom integrations. - **25%** spend 2–12 hours, reflecting predictable upkeep like SDK updates. - **28%** report very light effort, indicating standardized workflows or strong automation. - **Root-cause analysis** for streaming issues typically takes **2–12 hours** (25%), with **1–2 hours** (24%) also common. - Only **16%** can isolate issues in under an hour, highlighting the need for better observability and cross-layer correlation. ## Monetization, Content Protection, and Distribution ### Monetization Models - **Ads/AVOD (37%)** and **Subscriptions/SVOD (36%)** are the leading monetization models. - **FAST (26%)** is gaining traction as a cost-efficient and retention-focused model. - **Transactional/PPV (18%)** remains relevant for premium events but is less central. ### Ad Architecture - **SSAI (37%)** is the most common, favored for CTV and OTT due to its ad-block resistance and consistent measurement. - **CSAI (28%)** is popular for interactivity and fast iteration. - **Dynamic ad replacement (13%)** supports linear-to-digital transitions. - **SGAI (10%)** is gaining traction as a flexible hybrid approach. ### CDN Solutions - **Multi-CDN** is the dominant strategy at **31%**, offering resilience and cost optimization. - **Single third-party CDN** (13%) is preferred for simplicity and consolidated SLAs. - **In-house or hybrid models** (6%) are used for more control over routing and cost. - **Multi-cloud** is becoming increasingly relevant for resiliency, scalability, and infrastructure choice. ## Conclusion The report underscores the industry's shift from experimentation to optimization, with a strong focus on **cost control**, **AI integration**, and **multi-cloud strategies**. Video teams are prioritizing **reliable playback**, **consistent monitoring**, and **scalable live delivery**, while **analytics** and **monetization** are central to decision-making and growth. The **player** and **encoding** stacks are evolving to support diverse content and platforms, and **AI** is being leveraged to improve **accessibility**, **personalization**, and **QoE**. As the industry continues to grow, the need for **observability**, **flexibility**, and **efficiency** remains paramount.