Consumers in the United States have made the game console the most popular way to watch online content on their TVs, according to a new report from Strategy Analytics.
The report, “Multiscreen Connected TV: Assessing Device Usage and Ownership,” says 12 percent of U.S. households use game consoles to watch online content, more than the percentage of those that connect PCs to TVs via HDMI. A total of 15 million U.S. homes now watch online content via game consoles, according to the report.
While the PC remains the dominant screen for online viewing overall, transferring the experience to the big screen is becoming increasingly popular and is a key driver of consumption of filmed entertainment delivered via IP, says the company.
The company also found that 65 percent of U.S.-based weekly Xbox 360 users under the age of 25 access online TV shows and movies primarily via games consoles — even more than they do on desktop or notebook PC screens.
"These findings indicate significant levels of consumer demand for such services,” says Jia Wu, a senior analyst with the company. “The upcoming Xbox TV launch for the holiday season will demonstrate an expansion of the partnership between the games consoles and the online TV and video industries."