Peacock, NBC's new(ish) streaming app, will be celebrating its first birthday next month. The app launched at a great time when demand for content was exploding, and streaming became the way to consume new content.
It's not the only streamer to launch or rebrand around that time, so competition wasn't easy. We can see that with downloads, which started high but slowed down.
Revenue, the true test, however, tells a different story:
Since its launch, Peacock's revenue has grown by double-digits month-over-month, and in May, net revenue from both iOS and Android users has reached $3.6M, the most Peacock has ever earned in a single month.
Why is this interesting? HBO Max and Disney+, two streamers I talk about often, manage to command the top charts both by downloads (so there's interest) and revenue (so there's meaningful engagement), but that doesn't mean the streaming game is finished. Content is the key, and one streamer can't have it all.
The "great unbundling" of cable channels into apps is happening right in front of our eyes. I think there's room for a new bundler, but in app format, and I have a feeling that role will be taken up by YouTube in the not-so-distant future.
December saw a curious split: downloads dropped 2% while revenue sat at $1.3B. ChatGPT and TikTok dominated both charts as the mobile industry enters a new maturity phase.
Wall Street bet $2 billion on Polymarket, and downloads surged 1,172% in December. The prediction market banned in 2022 is now where Wall Street looks for signals.