According to the latest Nielsen Cross-Platform Report, Americans spent more than 34 hours per week in front of a TV set in Q2, 2012, where they watched traditional TV, DVDs and played games. Most of the content from these activities was delivered to the TV set in a traditional manner– over broadcast, cable, satellite or telco connection– and a growing amount was delivered by Internet connection. Americans also added another five hours in front of the computer screen using the Internet, or watching video content, and an increasing amount of time using smart phones this quarter.
Other key findings:
· More than 39 percent of people use their smartphone at least once a day while watching TV.
· Age groups 25-34 and 55-64 are the most likely to use their tablets multiple times per day while watching TV.
· While over two thirds of Hulu users are most often watching TV shows on Hulu, Netflix users skew more of their time to watching movies.
Simultaneous Usage Continues to Grow as We Become More and More Connected
Tablets and smart phones are proving to be new, novel and potentially necessary utilities, aiding Americans in connecting with the people and content they desire. These devices enable a new trans-generational community of connected consumers that crosses age, gender, race and ethnic lines to truly participate in the multitasking that used to be reserved for the young, or tech savvy elite. Smart phones now have a market penetration greater than 50 percent, and tablets are already in nearly 20 percent of US TV homes.
While tablets and smart phones offer the freedom of mobility, close to 40 percent of Americans now use their tablets or smart phones while watching TV at least once a day, and twice as many do it at least once a month. Modernity, in its new form, enables myriad content access points, a fact of which Americans are taking full advantage. These devices are omnipresent, and not just among the youth.
