MWC 2013: Rovi survey finds entertainment landscape “undergoing a tectonic shift” to mobile

Joseph O'Halloran | 26-02-2013




Mobile is the new normal in a new era of IP-based video services as viewers transition from traditional devices to “entertainment unbound” experiences on connected platforms, a new survey from Rovi is suggesting.
In the Consumer Mobile Streaming survey, the digital entertainment discovery, delivery and display firm revealed high usage rates among consumers, a majority of whom were streaming video to their devices at least two to three times per week.

Overall, the average streaming viewing session lasted 30 minutes or longer with streaming frequency highest in Italy, Spain, and the US with 73%, 71%, and 66% of consumers, respectively, streaming video to their tablets two to three times a week or more. Tablet users in the UK watch the most TV shows, drawing in a third of viewers, while those in the US and Germany (35% and 30%, respectively) view more films.
In addition, and in great news for content owners looking for additional platforms to monetise, it also found strong appetites for premium video content on mobile devices with users “clamouring”, said Rovi, for more TV shows and movies. Nearly half of all respondents reported to have streamed live events such as concerts and sporting contests to their mobile devices. However, users in general were more partial to user-generated content, with anywhere from 31% of users (France) to 47% of users (Italy) saying they watch more user-generated videos than any other type of content, including films, TV, music videos, news, and Web shows.
Even though the appetite for compelling content was clear, the survey also showed that there was a clear lack in universal delivery of such matter in the highest quality. Indeed Rovi argues that its survey showed a market need for advanced adaptive streaming solutions and new compression standards such as high efficiency video coding (HEVC), as fewer than a fifth of all mobile users rated the visual quality of their streaming video as excellent. A majority regarded features such as quick loading and smooth playback as the most important when watching streaming video.
Users were also worried about costs related to streaming video. Approximately half of the respondents say that they limit the amount of video streamed on their mobile phones over cost concerns — and nearly all expressed a belief that they should enjoy free access to TV content on their mobile phones through their cable provider.
“The survey results suggest we have clearly entered into a new era of IP-based video services,” said Ray DeRenzo, SVP of marketing for Rovi Corporation. “The entertainment landscape is undergoing a tectonic shift as viewers transition from traditional devices to connected mobile platforms. That fact alone has pushed consumer electronics manufacturers, service providers, the entertainment industry and other businesses to consider new strategies for attracting and retaining customers. For participants in the mobile ecosystem to find success and deliver high quality experiences, an important first step is to understand exactly how consumers are interacting with video on their devices today.”