Mobile devices are becoming increasingly popular when it comes to viewing online content, although the PC still leads the way, writes Steve Montgomery
80 70 60 50 40 30 20 10 0
PERCENTAGE OF VIEWERS PER DEVICE
China is embracing watching online content on TV
PC TV
PERCENTAGE OF VIEWERS PER DEVICE BY COUNTRY PC TV
India Japan
Indonesia Turkey Brazil UK Italy
Germany USA France Russia China Rural Mexico
26 36 58 35 43 49 61 48 48 43 72 49 52
China Urban 73 1
10 12 13 15 17 18 20 20 24 26 28
29.5 38
Source: NPD DisplaySearch
CONSUMERS INCREASINGLY prefer to view the online content of their choice, at their own time, on a variety of devices. Desktop PCs and laptops are still the primary source for viewing online content, but mobile devices such as tablets and smartphones are gaining ground. These are the findings of the new NPD DisplaySearch report Connected TV Study: Features, Content and Usage. According to the study, 19% of consumers surveyed in 14 regions throughout the world are accessing online content daily via their TV sets. The study investigates how consumers view online content, which devices they use, and how frequently they watch online video from providers like Netflix and Hulu. It includes an analysis of the penetration of internet-capable TVs and 3D capability and usage, as well as the methods of obtaining online content – whether by download or streaming video material.
“Online content is mostly
viewed on computers or mobile devices such as tablets and smartphones, but
12 October 2012
TVs are increasingly becoming devices of choice for consumers, particularly since an increasing number of sets have either built-in connectivity or can be connected to the internet via a peripheral device such as a connected Blu-ray player or set-top box, among others,” notes Riddhi Patel, NPD DisplaySearch research director of consumer insights. “In fact, 25% of consumers surveyed said they view online content on their TV several times a week.”
PREFERRED CONTENT Movies are the most popular form of entertainment for people viewing internet content on TVs. Consumers prefer to watch movies in a social setting, and since movies are available through online sites, they have become the preferred content. Previously broadcast video programming has also gained consumer attention as viewers can catch up on daily programming that they miss at its original time of broadcast, allowing them to view content at their convenience.
Among those consumers who do not view online content via TV, 44% say they have no interest in doing so, and approximately 30% simply do not own the necessary devices to do so. Of these respondents, if given the possibility of viewing online content on their TV, only one-third said they would be interested in doing so. “Although results differ by country, the results imply that there is still a general lack of interest in viewing online content via TV. This can be attributed to usage of devices other than TVs to view online content as well as a lack of infrastructure and/or expertise to connect their existing TVs to the internet,” Patel added. Despite this, daily usage of
TVs to view online content remains under 30% in most countries. In fact, online content on TV is viewed most aggressively in China, possibly due to consumer interest in viewing foreign programmes that may not be available via traditional TV medium.