The number of consumers that are using tablets and smartphones to watch TV is escalating. According to a study by Altman Vilandrie & Company, the percentage of tablet users watching TV or movies on tablets weekly jumped from 17 percent in 2013 to 26 percent. In addition, 40 percent of consumers under age 35 watch TV or movies on their smartphones every week.
The research firm also said that of those consumers that watch TV or movies on their smartphone every week, 78 percent watch paid online video weekly vs. only 49 percent of others. In addition, 78 percent of these users also watch broadcast TV weekly. A large percentage of these weekly smartphone viewers binge watch, i.e. watch three episodes of a program in one sitting at least monthly.
TV Everywhere apps, however, are only used by 41 percent of the weekly smartphone viewers and Altman Vilandrie noted that consumer awareness of these apps remains "stubbornly low" at 40 percent.
Interestingly, Altman Vilandrie also found that more people are purchasing tablets, which contradicts some other research reports that have indicated that tablet sales were slowing. Altman Vilandrie said that its consumer survey found that tablet ownership increased to 50 percent from 40 percent in 2013.
In May, research firm IDC said that while the tablet market will grow this year compared to last year it will grow at a slower pace than forecast. Specifically, IDC said that shipments of both tablets and 2-in-1 devices are forecast to grow 19.4 percent this year, down from a growth rate of 51.6 percent in 2013. In addition, IDC reduced its 2014 growth forecast by 3.6 percent from its previous estimate, and now thinks there will be shipments of 260.9 million units worldwide in 2014.
For more:
- see this press release
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NPD: U.S. Tablets using cellular connections increase 46% in 2013 to 10.4M