U.S. Leads the Pack in Connected TVs

BOSTON: The number of homes with Internet-connected televisions has reached more than 42 million across the U.S. and Europe, though the usage of such devices is twice as popular in the U.S. as in Europe, according to Strategy Analytics.

The report, Multiscreen Connected TV: Assessing Device Usage and Ownership, found that 20 percent of U.S. respondents have watched Internet content on their TV screens in the last month. This compares to only 10 percent of Europeans. The report attributes this to the relative strength of digital services—Netflix, Hulu, etc.—in the U.S.

In the U.S., the most popular option for connecting TVs to the Internet is the game console, while Europeans prefer to connect a PC to the TV using an HDMI cable. The report also found that streaming over a home network and Internet-connected Blu-ray disc players are significant in both territories.

“These findings have important implications for content providers, device manufacturers and network operators,” said David Mercer, principal analyst and the report’s author. “They demonstrate that television viewers are prepared to go to significant lengths to watch their preferred television shows or movies on the big screen. In spite of the technical challenges, many people want to be freed from the constraints of traditional, managed television services if their choice of content is not available when they want, where they want, and at a price they are willing to pay.”