BARCELONA, Spain--(BUSINESS WIRE)--QuickPlay Media, Inc., the leading provider of solutions for the distribution of premium video to portable wireless devices, today revealed the results of an independent Market Tools survey focused on mobile TV and video consumption in the United Kingdom. Conducted with current mobile subscribers, the survey results show strong consumer interest in multi-screen entertainment services.
The multi-screen entertainment experience is in high demand with 58 per cent of respondents expressing interest in the ability to watch TV programming and/or movies on one device and then seamlessly switch to view the content on another device such as a smart phone, TV, PC or tablet. Of those respondents whose service providers have a multi-screen offering, 39 per cent use it periodically or often.
“The drive for a seamless multi-screen entertainment experience is being fuelled by the global shift in how people are consuming content,” said Wayne Purboo, president and CEO, QuickPlay Media. “This year’s research findings echo QuickPlay’s experiences over the past year with increased demand from our customers for scalable solutions that enable them to offer subscribers increasing control of how and where they access TV programmes and movies.”
According to the survey, consumers in the UK are spending more time watching video content on their mobile device than last year. The survey concluded:
- Of those respondents who have tried/used their operator's mobile video service, 61 per cent indicated that they now watch more TV and video on their mobile device than they did a year ago.
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Among those who have used their mobile operator’s video service, 64
per cent state that they do so at least once per week.
- Specifically, 22 per cent of mobile TV and/or video service users watch programmes almost every day compared to 7 per cent a year ago;
- 42 per cent use the service at least once per week compared to 11per cent in 2010; and
- 62 per cent of respondents who use mobile TV and/or video services have been using them for less than a year, indicating that adoption is accelerating.
While interest in mobile TV and/or video services is strong, general awareness of available services continues to be an issue, with nearly 50 per cent of respondents stating they were unsure if their mobile operator offers such a service. Awareness of these services is expected to improve as providers increase marketing and promotions around these services.
- Perceived cost continues to be the top barrier to service adoption with 57 per cent of consumers citing price as the number one reason they have not tried a mobile TV or video service, this is an improvement from the 68 per cent who reported price as their top barrier in 2010.
- A staggering 75 per cent of respondents who have tried or used their operator’s services are interested in DVR-like capabilities that allow them to watch a TV programme or movie, pause it and resume watching it at a future time.
- The most popular places to watch mobile TV and/or video are while in-transit (27 per cent), at home (25 per cent) and in between activities (16 per cent). At home usage saw the greatest changes with only 16 per cent of respondents in 2010, reporting that the most frequently viewed mobile video at home. This may reflect the proliferation and use of tablet devices in the home.
- The most popular types of content that respondents watch on mobile TV and/or video services are sports (30 per cent) and news (25 per cent), followed by movies (16 per cent) and TV episodes (15 per cent).
Mobile operators and TV service providers are not alone in the rush to grab a piece of the mobile entertainment market.
- 32 per cent of respondents report that they have obtained TV programming or movies to view on their mobile device from a company other than their TV service provider or mobile operator, pointing to a broader set of competitive alternatives that these companies face in 2011.
- Building on the threat of alternative entertainment sources for mobile operators and TV service providers, 56 per cent of respondents have no preference from where they get their mobile TV or video service.
- The immediate popularity and advanced capabilities of iPads and similar tablet devices led to significant adoption in 2010, with 12 per cent of respondents having bought one.
- Of this group of respondents, 59 per cent have watched a TV programme or full-length movie, and 44 per cent watched more than 31 minutes of uninterrupted programming on the device. This provides further evidence that iPad and tablet owners are heavy users of entertainment services.
“iPads and tablet devices present a unique combination of portability and rich-media viewing capabilities, creating an impressive experience for watching TV programming and movies. Our customers have been quick to expand their services to deliver mobile content to these devices and have seen a tremendous response from consumers, especially around major sporting events like the FIFA World Cup and 2010 Vancouver Olympics. We expect that as adoption of these devices continues to grow, so will the demand for solutions that enable an engaging entertainment experience on these platforms,” added Purboo.
Further noteworthy findings of the survey include:
- Of those who have watched a full-length movie on their mobile device, 43 per cent have spent more than one hour of uninterrupted time doing so, which is up from 35 per cent in 2010
- 37 per cent of respondents prefer to get movies via a subscription service vs. a pay-per-movie service (22 per cent.) For TV programmes, much of the same holds true, with 30 per cent of respondents preferring a subscription service and 17 per cent preferring pay-per-episode viewing.
For full details on the survey results, please contact Matt Flanagan at fama PR via email at quickplay@famapr.com.
About QuickPlay Media
QuickPlay Media is the leading provider of solutions for the distribution of premium video to portable wireless devices. Successfully used by the world’s largest communications and media companies, QuickPlay’s OpenVideo platform provides the most secure and flexible way for companies to deliver engaging multi-screen entertainment experiences. QuickPlay is headquartered in Toronto, with sales offices in London and throughout the US. For more information, please visit www.quickplay.com or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/quickplaymedia. Interested parties can also follow QuickPlay Media on Twitter at @quickplaymedia.