Over the years a bright new future was predicted for bridge devices such as games consoles to watch streaming video but research from Aluma Insights has found adult SVOD viewers spent 2.5 more time watching apps on smart TVs than on all other streaming media players.
Putting its research into context, Aluma noted that in the early days of connected TV, consumers used a variety of bridge devices to connect high-speed internet services to home televisions, including digital media adapters, game consoles, and Blu-ray players, among others. Yet over time, TV OEMs incorporated this same “smart” functionality into mainstream televisions. As costs came down, smart TV penetration increased.
The study found that currently, 64% of US broadband households have a smart TV in their living room, nearly all of which are connected directly to the internet. More interesting is the fact 39% have a smart TV in their primary bedroom, 22% in a second bedroom. SVOD viewers spent half their streaming TV time watching apps on smart TVs, up from 31% in 2015. This is 2.5 times the contribution of streaming media players, which has declined from 27% in 2015 to 21%.
Mobile devices and PCs account for 9% of streaming TV viewing, exceeding that of game consoles (6%, down from 26% of in 2015). Notably said Aluma, this matches OTT viewing on pay TV set-top boxes.
Age played a large role in how SVOD users partitioned their TV streaming. In the survey smart TVs accounted for 53% of TV streaming among adults 45+, but only 39% among 18-24s. Game consoles’ contribution to TV streaming was greatest among 18-34s (15%), least so among 65+ (1%). Pay-TV set-top boxes’ part was greatest among SVOD users 65+ (15%), least so among 18-35s (3%) and PC and mobile TV connections accounted for 17% of TV streaming among 18-24s, least so among 45+ (6%).
“This is an example of a well-worn migratory pattern,” said Michael Greeson, founder of Aluma Insights. “The newest, most feature-laden television goes to the living room and the set it replaces moves to the primary bedroom, then to the second bedroom, and so on. As this happens, the use of bridge devices to watch streaming video in all rooms of the home is further diminished.”