What does "Adaptive Bitrate Streaming" aim to achieve?

Adaptive Bitrate Streaming aims to provide the best possible viewing experience by adjusting video quality based on the user's internet speed. This technology analyzes the available bandwidth and the condition of the network in real-time, allowing the streaming service to deliver video content in multiple quality levels. When a user has a fast and reliable internet connection, high-definition video can be streamed. Conversely, if the connection is slower or fluctuating, the streaming service reduces the video quality to prevent buffering or interruptions.

This dynamic adjustment is crucial for maintaining user satisfaction, as it minimizes playback delays and ensures smooth viewing. By catering to the varying network conditions that users may face, Adaptive Bitrate Streaming significantly enhances the overall experience compared to other methods, which may either force users to deal with buffering or require them to manually adjust quality settings.