Automatic Content Recognition Market

Market Overview

The global automatic content recognition market is experiencing a colossal demand with significant potential to grow during the forecast period. Automatic Content recognition (ACR) is an authentication technology for the recognition of content played on a video screen or contained in a media file. Further, it was observed that smart TVs and other devices are now integrated with automatic content recognition technologies for understanding consumer demand and needs. ACR-supported devices allow users to easily access additional knowledge about the content they see through either user-based feedback or search effort. For example, application developers will then provide audiences with customized complementary content.

The global automatic content recognition market is expected to grow from USD 1.7 billion in the year 2019 to USD 10.5 billion in 2029 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 32.9% in the forecast period.

Market Dynamics

Rising Integration of ACR in Smart TVs and Smartphones

Smart TVs offer numerous advanced computing abilities and connectivity. Smart TVs render advanced functions such as searching, chat, browse, share, update, and download. As per the Broadcast Audience Research Council (BARC)’s, in 2018, TV viewership in India grew by 12% in 2018. Hotstar, one of the leading video streaming platforms in India, had more than 60 million users in 2018. 

Smartphones account for 70% of the total web traffic; thus, content reorganization for synchronization of content and maintain uniformity and consistency of data on all-consuming devices such as smartphones, smart TVs, etc., is the need of an hour.

Moreover, the increasing usage of social media on a smartphone is accelerating the demand for Automatic Content recognition market. As per the estimation by Pew Research Centers, around 90% of the population in the U.S. between the age group 18-29 used social media in 2018. Additionally, the surging number of second-screen devices, such as smartphones and wearables for tracking unauthorized users is also propelling the market growth. As per the Netflix survey, around 70% of its program stream on smartphones and tablets instead of TVs for the detection of 2nd screen viewers.

Increasing Demand for ACR to Understand the Consumer Behavior

The inclination toward e-commerce is one of the crucial determinants influencing market growth. According to the U.S. Department of Commerce, e-commerce and visual commerce have accelerated in the last few years and has contributed sales of around 394.9 billion in 2016. Automatic Content recognition is used to examine the attitudes and preferences that affect buying behavior, such as usage rates, usage occasion, loyalty, brand advocacy, willingness to provide referrals, etc. Customer relationship management (CRM) databases have become an asset for the analysis of customer behavior.

The Requirement of Additional Bandwidth and Large Server Infrastructure for Applying ACR

ACR is an identification technology that allows television content to be recognized by video, audio, or watermark, which requires spatial frequency bandwidth for Automatic Content recognition of products. For image recognition, the required bandwidth is between 205k to 17.6 G and for video recognition, it is 4k to 25 Mbps, which is not much cost-efficient. However, the colt spectrum is a cost-effective dark fiber alternative to high bandwidth.

Regional Analysis

North America

North America is home to leading companies such as Google, Facebook, and Amazon. The need for content verification and identification is imperative; therefore, the regional market is on the rise. Google is one of the widely used searching engines, which demands automatic Automatic Content recognition for monitoring its viewers. More than 3.5 billion people visit online portals daily for searching for data. Thus, Automatic Content recognition is a must for content identification and content enhancement.

Electronic health records in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico use face and speech recognition to collect and store the data. Thus, various manufacturers developing software for the healthcare sector is expected to boost market growth. For instance, in November 2017, DrChrono launched an Electronic Health Record (EHR), which uses apple's facial recognition for maintaining electronic records. Drchrono holds more than 10 million patient medical records, which are roughly 3% of the U.S. population. Advanced health care infrastructure is influencing the demand for audio and video recognition technology.

Additionally, the expanding automotive industry in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico is influencing the demand for speech recognition to enhance communication systems integrated into the car, including phone calls, audio devices, and navigation. For instance, in 2016, Canada’s automotive industry consisted of 1,085 automotive manufacturers with 1,275 manufacturing facilities. This has boosted the demand for speech recognition to perform various automated functions in a car. Several market players are getting engaged in strategic partnerships. For instance, in 2018, Xperi Corporation partnered with ACRCloud to offer music recognition for hybrid radio.

Asia-Pacific

The increasing adoption of smart TVs and smartphones is influencing the demand for Automatic Content recognition to identify and synchronize the content. In 2018, more than 43.5% of the population used a smartphone in China. Chinese start-ups Megvii and SenseTime are considered to have the world’s most powerful facial recognition systems.

In India, the presence of notable e-commerce players such as Flipkart, Amazon, Myntra, and Snapdeal are boosting the demand for automatic content recognition to gauge consumer behavior. Several regional airports utilizing facial recognition as a mandatory process for foreign passengers to ensure public safety is expected to fuel market growth. As of July 2019, Japanese airports are using facial recognition for boarding instead of document checks.

Segmental Analysis

By Type

Based on type, the automatic content recognition market is divided into audio, video, and image recognition, voice and speech recognition, real-time content analytics, and security and copyright management.

Further, the audio, video, and image recognition cater to the maximum share in the market. Audio recognition technique is commonly used in advertisement tracking and recording, music recognition, and copyright infringement detection. The trend of streaming channels has sprung up in the media industry and are influencing the market growth positively. Spotify, Google Play Music, iHeartRadio, SoundCloud, SHOUTcast, AccuRadio, and Last.FM is the most popular audio music streaming channels.

The growing number of viewers on YouTube and other social media sites need to evaluate the rate of total viewers captured, thus prompting the demand for automatic content recognition technology. For instance, in 2018, 2.32 billion people used Facebook daily. Various manufacturers offering advanced technology for Automatic Content recognition are also expected to drive the market. Zeitera, one of the leading providers of digital audio and video fingerprinting technology, has patented audio-video content identification and search system for smart TVs, smartphones, and tablets.

By Applications

Based on application, the automatic content recognition market is divided into media and entertainment, consumer electronics, e-commerce, education and healthcare, it and telecommunication, and defense and public safety. Further, the Media and Entertainment cater to the maximum share in the market. ACR technology captures a few pixels of whatever the viewer is currently watching on the TV. The data is further shared with the TV manufacturer’s ACR tracking software to analyze various parameters.

 ACR identifies audio and video content verified by the database due, it is widely used in the development of various applications and is expected to drive market growth. The increasing adoption of smartphones is on an upward trajectory. For instance, in 2018, around 2.7 billion smartphone users around the world are increasing the demand for the automatic content recognition market. Various manufacturers offer applications for listening to music in which Automatic Content recognition is used for synchronizing the content. For instance, mufingmBH is one of the leading companies that offer automatic content recognition for android app while listening to music.

Consumers use 2nd screen devices such as smartphones, tablets, laptops to watch TV programs, and listen to music. ACR synchronizes data and delivers real-time information about the second screen user, which is triggering the demand for an automatic content recognition market. For instance, according to the Netflix survey reports, more than 24% of the population use the second screen for watching a TV program.   

Impact of covid-19

The pandemic wreaked havoc on all primary sectors when there was a temporary shutdown of all the events. Industries such electronics and consumer goods, media and entertainment, automotive, and others were among the hardest impacted, and the damages suffered by companies due to temporary shutdowns impaired production capability, restricting new deployments. However, the extensive use of consumer goods due to the lockdown had positively impacted the market. Further, the hindrances faced due in the first half of 2020, such as no production and delayed deliveries had restrained the growth of the market.

Recent Developments

• In 2019, Viscovery acquired investment from Alibaba Entrepreneur Fund for its visual recognition technology. With this investment, the company entered the Japanese market increasing its share in the region.
• In 2019, Viscovery Inc. announced a partnership with MOMO, a shop app for its Visual Search product. With this product enhancement, MOMO increases its shopping experience and hence provides substantial growth to the Viscovery product line across China.