Portable handheld devices such as smartphones and tablet computing devices are widely distributed around the globe. In some markets, nearly every potential consumer carries their own device and uses it to send and transmit information. Devices are configured to use phone networks, like 3G and 4G networks, as well as data networks such as Internet connections accessed through Wi-Fi. Accordingly, these devices can offer their users the ability to access content almost constantly while they are turned on.
This ubiquitous and persistent connectivity of consumers offer obvious opportunities for gaming, marketing, news, communication, entertainment, and other electronic media. However, sophisticated and interactive electronic media such as interactive apps and games, group chats or “tweeting”, social networking apps with frequent updates, streaming music sites, or internet auction sites can quickly burden server capability as the volume of users increases. Further, old paradigms, such as creating a web page and posting it or giving people an app to play with on their phone, are being replaced by demand for continuous active content delivery such as games, apps, or media players that involve a person with real-time events, other parties, and new information on-the-fly.
The volume of content now involved in electronic media, the number of connected users, and the resulting demands on existing content delivery technologies leads to lag-times and increased latencies, as well as slow and sometimes stopped or broken data connections. Content preparation and delivery methods are poorly suited to the demands now being placed on them. As a result, users experience delays in obtaining access to content. Also, certain kinds of content requiring quick interactivity among high numbers of users is difficult to distribute at optimal rates.