Satellite television broadcaster BSkyB has announced a number of new innovations as it aims to maintain its competitive position in the UK -- Further details have emerged of the broadband service due to be launched in the autumn. It will be delivered in the form of an application that is downloaded to a broadband connected personal computer. The launch will pre-empt the introduction of a similar peer-to-peer service planned by the BBC, which is due to enter a limited public trial in the autumn. It also comes as cable operators are rolling out video-on-demand services in the UK. The Sky Movies broadband service will offer hundreds of films licensed to Sky, which will be available to download and even transfer to a portable device. The Sky Sports service will offer over a thousand video clips, available to over five million subscribers to Sky Sports packages.�It�s just fantastic,� said BSkyB chief executive, saying that the service would offer �high levels of personalisation and recommendation� when it launches in the autumn. Sky is also planning to launch a mobile service that will allow users to remotely program their Sky+ digital video recorder.
Alternative Payment Methods (APMs) – comprising digital wallets, instant payments, and QR payment systems – are experiencing explosive growth that's reshaping the global financial services marketplace. According to the latest worldwide market study by ABI Research , the combined global transaction value for APMs is projected to reach $142 trillion by 2030. What's particularly fascinating is the underlying driver behind this trend: a growing desire for financial sovereignty, with nations developing domestic payment ecosystems rather than remaining dependent on international financial networks. Payment Ecosystem Market Development In 2024, approximately 45 percent of the global population used digital wallets – a remarkable adoption rate for a technology that barely existed a decade ago. China leads this transition, with 95 percent of its population using WeChat's payment functionality. WeChat exemplifies the "super app" phenomenon, where payment capabilities are in...