TV still primary viewing device in Asia Pacific: Report

People might be hooked onto various on-demand services for entertainment content, but television remains the primary viewing device for consumers across Asia Pacific, according to a report.

"As entertainment shifts online, consumers are discovering that they have more control over their viewing experiences than ever before. What they're looking for today is choice, quality and greater flexibility, and these demands are driving new trends that are shaping the future of entertainment," Chris Jaffe, Vice President of Product Innovation, Netflix, said in a statement.

Today, Netflix users across Asia Pacific are using between three and five different internet-connected devices for their entertainment needs, completing their binges on everything from smartphones to smart TVs.

With the pivot towards contextual entertainment, streaming on TV devices has grown with more than a third (34 per cent) of Netflix viewing hours in India through connected TVs.

Smart TVs lead the charge as the most popular connected TV device. This is followed by media streaming devices such as Apple TVs, Rokus or Chromecasts and game consoles like Xboxes and Playstations.

Despite increasing mobility, the TV remains the enduring centrepiece of the consumer's entertainment experience with the shift from the linear to connected world. Consumers are now discovering a new world of entertainment in their homes on connected TVs.

"People have always enjoyed watching TV and this won't change anytime soon. The beauty of connected TVs is that they're able to exploit the best part of the conventional linear TV experience, while leveraging all of the benefits of connected technology. Consumers can now enjoy big screen time at home that is personalised to their unique tastes and preferences, on-demand, immersive and interactive," Jaffe said.

Across the Asia Pacific region, the Netflix report states that while the majority of membership sign-ups are through mobile devices and laptops, consumers move on to discover the connected TV experience.

Within six months of subscription, 42 per cent of accounts' primary viewing in India became connected TVs. These members across the region are also spending twice as long watching on their connected TVs as they do on their mobile devices.

The data has been pulled out from Netflix Asia Pacific users.

--IANS

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