Understanding All About OTT App Development

OTT (Over-the-top) applications are synonymous with our daily lives at present. Various streaming platforms such as Netflix, Amazon Prime Video, etc. are revolutionizing the way we consume data. Accessible via all kinds of devices, these OTT applications are emerging as market leaders in the entertainment segment. As a result, OTT app development services are experiencing a surge in demand to cater to the dynamic needs of the audience.

Since OTT apps provide a seamless viewing experience to the users, they are becoming hugely popular. If you are looking for a detailed insight into OTT application development, you are in the right place. Let us take you through the nitty-gritty of OTT app development services.

Features To Include In OTT Apps

OTT applications serve a single purpose of engaging audiences in an immersive manner. As much as the content matters, it must also be feature-loaded to maximize user engagement. The below graph shows the mammoth size of the market OTT is set to hold in the coming years.

If you are planning to give it a shot, have a look at the features your app must be inclusive of:

Sign Up/Sign In

A must-have feature to begin with the app usage. Users enter the relevant information to register themselves on the platform. Once the registration is complete, users will be able to explore the app, check their subscription details, create their watchlist, and do much more.

Multilingual

If you are looking to target audiences all around the world, having content in more than one language is preferable. Giving users the option to select their preferred language will boost your app’s popularity.

Watch List

When you are delivering interactive video content for consumption, you must include this feature. Enabling users the platform to create their watchlist to binge-watch later or remember what to watch next by adding videos, movies, TV shows, etc. is quintessential. 

Screen Casting

Users love to have an option to watch on a bigger screen size. Providing the feature to mirror their mobile screen to a smart TV using an external device or in-built Chromecast can attract a lot of positive reviews.

Push Notifications

Notifying users about the subscription expiry, any new content uploads, or updates in your OTT app, having the feature of push notification is necessary.

Payment Gateway

Paid subscriptions require to have a seamless payment gateway integration to allow users to do transactions hassle-free. Hence, your OTT app must have a safe, secure, and reliable payment gateway.

Oodles Technologies have experiential knowledge in OTT application development inclusive of the features to enable our clients to tap the wider audience.

Also Read: Important Considerations For Roku Channel Development

Path To Development Of The OTT App

Developing an OTT application can be a tricky process, in case you do not have any prior knowledge, it is better to hire a professional OTT app development company. The OTT application development will depend on certain factors such as:

1. Technology stack to develop the application- Amazon Web Services (AWS), Microsoft Azure Services, or Google Cloud Platform (GCP) for cloud integration
2. Frontend and Backend Development- JavaScript-based frameworks like AngularJS, Angular, React.JS for frontend whereas frameworks like Node.JS, Express, Django, Flask, and Phoenix for backend
3. Databases- MySQL, PostgreSQL, Cassandra, Oracle, are preferred databases, and AtlasDB & MongoDB are database management tools
4. Big Data- Hadoop, Spark, Presto, and Parquet lead the way here.
5. Streaming Technology- Adaptive bitrate streaming (ABS) technologies making use of a large number of codecs and bitrate patterns to deliver a seamless viewing experience regardless of the internet bandwidths

At Oodles Technologies, our development team is well-versed with all the leading tech stack, programming languages, and more to ensure your OTT application performs well any time, anywhere.

Also Read: How Streaming Services Work

Cost of Development

The development time and other related factors such as tech stack, release platform, features & complexity determine the total cost. In addition to it, the size and location of the app development company also play its role. 

Oodles brings its diverse experience into play to give our clients a range of services based on their requirements. Our OTT app development ranges from 8-10k to 50-60k, depending on the features and functionality of the application.

Final Thoughts

OTT applications have created their niche market by catering to the needs of a diverse audience range. Adding a monetization strategy to your OTT application will turn it into a full-fledged revenue stream. Subscription-based models are on the rise ever since the COVID-19 pandemic has struck the world.

If you are looking to launch an OTT application, hire our professional OTT application development services. We are a 360-degree OTT app development company with more than 11 years of experience in building highly scalable video streaming platforms. Book a free consultation with us here.

Don’t forget to glance at our portfolio here.