Connected TVs Lead for Online Streaming in Asia Pacific
It's a multi-device world, but the television still leads the way for premium video. Netflix revealed today that 61 percent of its viewing time in Asia Pacific is on televisions. Connected TVs, which have streaming software built in, are the most popular option, followed by TV set-top boxes.
The dominance of the TV in this region is surprising, as Netflix notes the majority of its sign-ups come through mobile devices and laptops. However, viewers quickly prefer the big screen TV experience: Within six months of starting a subscription, 60 percent of accounts choose the TV as their primary viewing device. Asia Pacific subscribers also spend twice as long on TV viewing sessions as they do on mobile device viewing sessions.
The region is still multi-device, though, with Netflix subscribers using between three and five connected devices for entertainment. However, there's strong interest in living room streaming, as sales of connected TVs grew by 40 percent in the last year, while sales of 4K TVs grew 103 percent.
"People have always enjoyed watching TV and this won't change anytime soon," says Chris Jaffe, vice president of product innovation for Netflix. "The beauty of connected TVs is that they're able to exploit the best part of the conventional linear TV experience, while leveraging all of the benefits of connected technology. Consumers can now enjoy big screen time at home that is personalized to their unique tastes and preferences, on-demand, immersive, and interactive. As consumers discover this with Netflix, the more they love their connected TV experience."
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