Half US adults watching video on non-TV devices

New consumer research from Leichtman Research Group (LRG) finds that 27 per cent of adults in the US watch video on devices other than a TV set daily, and 53 per cent on a weekly basis. This is an increase from 14 per cent daily, and 37 per cent weekly two years ago. These non-TV devices include home computers, mobile phones, iPads, tablets, and eReaders. (eReaders were not included two years ago.)

There is a significant difference in the use of these non-TV video options by age, with 42 per cent of all ages 18-44 watching any type of video daily, and 77 per cent weekly – compared to 14 per cent daily, and 33 per cent weekly among those age 45 and over.

While these non-TV devices provide the opportunity to watch video outside the home, much of the viewing is taking place in the home. Of those who watched video on their mobile phone in the past month, 63 per cent say that they usually watch video on their mobile phones at home. And, of those who watched video on their iPad, tablet, or eReader in the past month, 89 per cent say that they usually watch video on these devices at home.

The findings are based on a survey of 1,240 households throughout the United States, and are part of a new LRG study – Emerging Video Services VII – LRG’s seventh annual study on the topic.

Other related findings include:

• 44 per cent of all households have at least one television set connected to the Internet via a video game system, a Blu-ray player, an Apple TV or Roku set-top box, and/or the TV set itself — up from 38 per cent last year, 30 per cent in 2011, and 24 per cent in 2010.
• While 18 per cent of all households have a TV connected to the Internet only via a video game system, just 3 per cent of households are connected solely via a Smart TV set
• Including connected TV sets, 33 per cent watch any over-the-top content daily, and 59 per cent weekly – compared to 17 per cent daily, and 41 per cent weekly two years ago
• Including connected TV sets, 29 per cent watch TV shows over-the-top weekly – Netflix streaming video households account for 58 per cent of weekly TV show viewers
• 22 per cent of all adults stream Netflix video weekly — compared to 4 per cent in 2010
• 80 per cent of Netflix streaming users use it to watch TV shows and movies on a TV set, and 53 per cent of this group access Netflix via a video game system
• On a weekly basis, 62 per cent of adults use other devices while watching TV, but just 7 per cent overall use these devices as ‘second screens’ to interact with the programmes being watched

“Video watched on non-TV devices and via connected TV sets has significantly increased over the past few years, particularly among younger individuals,” said Bruce Leichtman, president and principal analyst for Leichtman Research Group. “Consumers are generally using these new viewing options to complement traditional TV viewing at home.”