Conviva’s “State of Streaming” study released on Wednesday, and contained fascinating revelations and statistics pertaining to the cord-cutting world.
Whether it be the explosion in streaming numbers, the vital role of quality advertising or major sports developments, there’s no shortage of intrigue to be had for
Read on for insight into the most notable findings from the “State of Streaming” report.
CHECK OUT: Apple TV+ has more subscribers than Disney+ and Hulu
Streaming numbers explode in 2019 Q4
To be more specific, Conviva found there to be a 58% increase in year-over-year streaming, all told. Talk about a bombshell and a rapidly changing home entertainment situation!
Although it’s not explicitly stated in the study, Disney+ and Apple TV+ launched in November. Their novel presence on the streaming market certainly had to do with the boom.
Despite the benefit of being under Disney’s umbrella, neither Disney+ nor Hulu outpace Apple TV+ in subscribers. It helps that Apple is present and has more to offer in terms of in-house, branded device versatility.
But of course, the Mouse House is a hub for so many beloved stories. Disney+ boasts a catalog loaded with animated originals, Pixar, Marvel and Star Wars.
CHECK OUT: Free brand advertising will vault Disney+ to “Streaming Wars” superiority
Better overall quality; Roku most improved device
According to the “State of Streaming,” 55% of global viewers watch through connected TV. For the record, 24% are mobile, 11% are PC and 10% are other devices.
Among the connected TV devices, Roku has easily the most users at 43%, with Amazon Fire TV the next closest (18%).
In addition to being the leader in its device category, Roku made the most significant improvements year-to-year. Their video start failures decreased 56% to only .14% of the time.
Apple TV is just behind Xbox in fourth among connected TV device viewing time. However, Apple TV improved video start time by 25%, buffering by 30% and still boasts the best picture quality with a 7.61 bit rate.
While Roku is the big winner, everyone is experiencing superior streaming quality thanks to the exploding market. Buffering decreased 37%, video start failures dropped by 12%, picture quality upped by 21% and video start times were 6% faster.
Although advertisements experienced a 7.8% increase from the prior quarter in playing as intended, there was still a 36.5% failure rate overall.
CHECK OUT: Roku & TVision find streaming tops linear TV in co-viewing & ad attention
The NFL rights deal looms large
It can’t be understated how vital the NFL is to the future of streaming.
During NFL game day peaks, global streaming spikes of 29% on Sunday and 28% on Monday occurred. Pro football is definitely expanding to a much more international audience.
No doubt, some of the broader appeal is aided by the NFL’s efforts to have annual games in London, and the incorporation of overseas players onto rosters, among other initiatives.
Here’s a quote from “State of Streaming” to summarize what’s on the horizon in the coming years — and how the link between the NFL and linear TV is about to be broken:
In many ways the NFL and television owe each other a debt, but looking towards 2021 rights negotiations, major streaming players will likely look to capture more of the prestigious pie. Given the increased competition and content spend in the streaming space, NFL’s deep audience loyalty and volume of content must look pretty appealing, even at a steep cost.
Conviva’s State of Streaming Report
CBS All Access allows subscribers to stream NFL games that they air every Sunday. This helps out-of-market fans whose teams aren’t broadcast locally to see their favorites play.
Fox just streamed the Super Bowl in 4K Ultra HD, so it’s only a matter of time before the league at large follows suit on a larger scale. Plus, NFL Sunday Ticket is up for grabs as well.
With Apple TV+, Amazon Prime Video and YouTube TV all vying for Sunday Ticket, the NFL’s viewing rights could go a long way for Streaming Wars contenders.
CHECK OUT: Apple TV+ is a Streaming Wars contender for NFL Sunday Ticket