Talking about the television of the future is like opening a crystal ball in which the old channels fight against digital titans, independent creators and even algorithms that already know more about our tastes than we do ourselves. The picture is clear: consumption habits have changed radically, and the remote control no longer rules.

For decades, television was the centrepiece of the living room and leisure time. Now it competes with streaming platforms, social media and short formats that fit in the palm of your hand. The consumer of the future will not sit religiously at nine o’clock in the evening waiting for their favourite programme: they want to choose what to watch, when to watch it and on which device. Television will no longer be a device, but an ecosystem.

Platforms and direct competition

The big streaming platforms (Netflix, Disney+, Prime Video, Max) will continue to dominate, but the real enemy does not come from there alone: TikTok, Twitch and YouTube have already become personal televisions for millions of young people. Even video games, with interactive and narrative experiences, are stealing hours of attention from traditional television. The future looks hybrid: products that mix series with live interaction, real-time voting, gamification and on-demand content.

Targets: who will watch television?

 

Linear television will survive with an older audience, accustomed to the routine of daily news and soap operas. But the new generations, born in the digital age, will demand shorter, more dynamic and personalised formats. We are talking about fragmented targets: from very specific niches that consume hyper-focused content to global masses united by a live event, such as a sports final or an interactive talent show. The television of the future will be less ‘for everyone’ and more ‘for each individual’.

 

How it will be done

 

Television production will also change. Artificial intelligence and augmented reality will become fully integrated into content creation. Virtual scenarios can be generated without the need for large sets, or digital characters can be recreated to interact with the live audience. In addition, the audience will no longer be just spectators: they will be able to comment, decide on narrative twists or even appear on screen thanks to integration with social networks and mobile devices.

 

How it will be consumed

 

Television will continue to exist, but it will become a multimedia hub connecting streaming, social media, video games, and even real-time shopping. Mobile phones, however, will continue to reign supreme: watching television will also mean scrolling while you cook or catching a five-minute episode on the underground. Gone are the days of ‘waiting for it to start’: everything will always be available on demand and even tailored to your mood.

 

The immediate future

 

In short, the television of the future will have to be more flexible, interactive and personalised if it wants to survive. It will compete with digital giants and the impatience of an audience that no longer tolerates downtime. The key? Becoming an experience rather than just a screen. If it doesn’t, it will end up as a vintage relic, just another piece of furniture in the living room that no one turns on anymore.