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RealNetworks Revolutionizes Internet Streaming Media with G2 Platform

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

RealNetworks Inc. announced several major offerings as part of its RealSystem G2 media delivery system in November 1998. This platform included the release of RealPlayer G2, a multimedia streaming search service with Excite Inc., and support for the Synchronized Multimedia Integration Language (SMIL). RealSystem G2 also enabled the delivery of rich multi-stream content over typical modem connections, with support for new data types such as RealPix, RealText, and RealFlash. Additionally, the platform was built on the Real Time Streaming Protocol (RTSP) and supported most existing media file formats on the Web, including ASF, AVI, JPEG, MPEG, VIV, and WAV.

Key Takeaways:

  • RealNetworks introduced RealPlayer G2, a final release of the RealPlayer used on the client side of the stream, as part of its RealSystem G2 media delivery system.
  • The company announced a multimedia streaming search service with Excite Inc. as part of the RealSystem G2 platform.
  • RealSystem G2 supports Synchronized Multimedia Integration Language (SMIL), enabling rich multi-stream content to be delivered over typical modem connections.
  • The platform supports new data types such as RealPix, RealText, and RealFlash, co-developed with Macromedia.
  • RealNetworks quoted Media Metrix as saying that RealPlayer usage grew by 105 percent from the first quarter of 1998 to the end of the third quarter 1998.
  • The combined usage of all other streaming media players declined by 17 percent during the same period, according to Media Metrix.
  • RealPlayer had the largest absolute growth of any consumer desktop application in 1998, according to Media Metrix.
  • More than 85 percent of all Web pages on the Internet using streaming media utilized RealNetworks' RealAudio, RealVideo or RealFlash technologies.
  • Over 300,000 hours of live RealAudio and RealVideo programming were available each week.
  • RealPlayer had more than 38 million registered users.
  • RealNetworks also announced that iQfx from QSound Labs would be available as an enhanced feature of either RealPlayer G2 or RealPlayer Plus G2, giving users access to digital 3D audio sound.
  • The company inked a pact with Excite Inc. to create a service that would search the Web for audio, video, and multimedia content from the RealPlayer while users were listening to or viewing multimedia material.

Statistics:

  • 105 percent growth in RealPlayer usage from the first quarter of 1998 to the end of the third quarter 1998, according to Media Metrix.
  • 17 percent decline in the combined usage of all other streaming media players during the same period, according to Media Metrix.
  • Over 38 million registered users of RealPlayer.
  • More than 300,000 hours of live RealAudio and RealVideo programming available each week.
  • 85 percent of all Web pages on the Internet using streaming media utilized RealNetworks' RealAudio, RealVideo or RealFlash technologies.

Sources:

  • Newsbytes, "RealNetworks Unveils RealSystem G2 with RealPlayer G2, Enhanced Search Feature", 1998-11-23
  • Excite Inc., http://www.excite.com
  • RealNetworks Inc., http://www.real.com
  • Newsbytes News Network, http://www.newsbytes.com
  • QSound Labs, http://www.qsound.com

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