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How important are streaming media devices? Furthermore, what constitutes a streaming media device? A few years back, and especially before the pandemic, streaming content was becoming more prevalent, which spurred a marketplace built around how to best access that content. For a while, a lot of energy was put into the development of “killer devices” that would be the default platform for viewing. In the end, that never really materialized, as the fractured nature of the video streaming services led to a fractured dedicated streaming device marketplace.
This report represents the findings of a survey conducted by S&P Global Market Intelligence 451 Research, which asked US consumers about their streaming services, device ownership and customer satisfaction.
Key takeaways from the survey
Multiple device options that all get the job done. The push to create dedicated streaming devices that could act as a “one-stop shop” neglected to account for the existence of multifunctional devices already capable of meeting the demand for streaming video. Smartphones (39%), smart TVs (32%), and laptops/desktops (28%) have long stood out as the most used devices for streaming video content. Tablets (20%) are also a popular option, as are video game consoles (11%). The most successful dedicated streaming device brand has been Roku (25%), followed by Amazon Fire TV/Stick (17%). There’s also a very tangible convenience factor to using a multifunction device like a smartphone or PC/tablet instead of buying yet another piece of consumer tech.
Cost is also a factor. In addition to convenience, the cost associated with buying additional devices with a single function is also an important consideration. One reason that smartphones are consistently one of the most used devices is rooted in the fact that they’re already being used for a variety of different tasks. As such, usage for streaming is similar across lower-income (less than $50,000 per year; 39%) and higher-income (more than $100,000 per year; 41%) households to access streaming video. Across all other top device types, except for Roku and video game consoles, higher-income households use streaming devices at noticeably higher rates than lower-income ones. As has been discussed in our consumer spending reports, higher-income households have more discretionary income to put toward a wider variety of streaming devices.
Apple devices lead in customer satisfaction. As for dedicated streaming devices, the survey found Apple TV 7th generation (83%) and Apple TV 6th generation (75%) to have the highest percentage of users who say they are very satisfied with their devices, followed closely by Apple TV 4th generation (74%). Meanwhile, the Roku streaming stick (71%) and Amazon Fire TV Stick (70%) continue to show higher satisfaction than their counterparts, the Roku streaming player (64%) and Amazon Fire TV (64%). Chromecast again brings up the rear, with 63% of users saying they are very satisfied.
Streaming devices are durable and show longevity of use. Well over half (58%) of respondents indicate they use their streaming devices daily. Despite that amount of usage, on average most respondents have owned their devices for two to three years or longer. In fact, when asked about upgrading, nearly half (49%) of respondents indicated they like to replace their streaming devices after five years or longer. This is evident in the fact that only 15% of respondents plan to buy a new device for streaming video within the next 12 months. Even among this group, smartphones are still the top type of device being considered.
Samsung is most used smart TV. As noted above, about one-third (32%) of respondents use a smart TV to stream video content. Among this group, Samsung (35%) stands well above its closest competition, LG (17%) and Vizio (17%). Roku (11%), TCL (10%) and Sony (10%) are the only other brands to garner double-digit usage. In terms of satisfaction, almost three-quarters (72%) of respondents say they are very satisfied with their smart TV.
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