CES: 53% of US consumers expect smartphones and tablets to replace TV sets by 2022
Fifty-three per cent of US consumers believe that mobile devices, like smartphones and tablets, will replace traditional TV sets within the next eight years according to a new study into entertainment viewing preferences released by Irdeto at CES 2014.
The research also found that of this group, 31 per cent of people expected the transition to mobile being the predominant screen through which content is consumed to happen within the next one to five years.
Surprisingly, however, 65 per cent of those surveyed still prefer to watch their favourite content live at the time of broadcast, whether it is on their television or streaming on a mobile device.
Meanwhile 60 per cent of 18-24 year olds said they preferred to watch full series at once, through the likes of Netflix, as opposed to waiting a week or more for new episodes.
With the likes of Amazon backing 4K TV – it recently inked a deal with Hollywood studios and technology companies to up the production of 4K content – consumer demand for the Ultra HD sets still has a way to go as only 18 per cent of respondents said they were “very interested” in purchasing a 4K/Ultra HD television with an almost equal number (16 per cent) revealing that they are not at all interested in the newer technology
Commenting on the results, Richard Frankland, Vice President of Sales, Irdeto, said: “In the past 10 years, we’ve seen mobile devices eclipse the consumer landline telephone market, and we’re seeing a similar fundamental shift in the television industry,” he said.
“As the data indicates, we have reached a point where not only are devices as important to consumers as televisions, but a generational clash is also occurring between the demand for live programming and over the top services. The consumer electronics industry is working to get those consumers back through innovations like 4K, and the operators and content owners will follow suit by creating profitable offerings that meet consumer demands.”
The survey was conducted among 1,000 nationally representative US adults, aged 18+, between December 17 and December 23, 2013.