Larry Magid: Streaming Devices Growing in Popularity
SAN FRANCISCO (KCBS)— More than half of households in the U.S. with broadband internet service can stream shows to their TV sets according to a new poll conducted by Parks Research.
First of all this is a surprisingly high number, but it tells me that Netflix, Hulu and maybe even Amazon Prime Video or other streaming video is out there being consumed.
Let's face it, as much as it's great to be able to watch video on a laptop, phone or tablet; it's a different experience when you're sitting in your living room watching on your regular TV set.
The report gives the streaming industry some important insights as to what kind of reach they have with consumers. It's important for their business and it shows why so much money is being spent in this area.
Game consoles make up one of the more popular categories for facilitating streaming video in households. Sony Playstation and Microsoft's Xbox are among the likely culprits enabling video in homes and these types of consoles make up about 40 percent.
Dedicated devices make up 14 percent of the demographic. Roku leads the way with 37 percent of that market share. Apple TV trails with 24 percent of these types of devices.
We don't even have numbers for Google Chromecast, a fairly new device for $35. I suspect it's going to get a lot of market share once it's been on the market for a while.
Streaming Devices Growing in Popularity
It's a really different way to watch video. I have cable TV, but most of the time I end up watching streaming video, because I can choose when to watch, I'm not locked into a schedule and I don't have to think about pre-recording. There's a vast amount of content to choose from now (sure I can't get news or sports this way), but given my limited amount of time. This is how I've noticed my viewing habits are shifting.
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