Connected Blu-ray Disc players turn out to be an important driver to watch broadband-delivered premium video content in the home amongst younger viewers. In a US survey carried out for EPIX, 44% of online video viewers utilize Internet Blu-ray players connected to TVs to watch movies.

The younger demographics are leading the charge in embracing new devices for movie watching. Specifically, viewers between the ages of 25 to 34 are significantly more likely to use video-capable iPods (24%), iPads and tablet computers (21%), smartphones (21%) and netbooks (15%) to watch movies than viewers between 35 to 64 years old.

The research delved into device preference for content consumption and confirmed personal computers have fully emerged as a commonly used means for movie viewing. They are now nearly as popular as televisions, with seven out of eight respondents indicating that they watch movies on computers.

Other notable survey findings include:

- TV networks prevail as the most common source for watching movies outside of theaters as nearly seven in eight steamers view films on broadcast (85%) and basic cable networks (83%) at least monthly.

- More than half (51%) of online streamers/downloaders also watch movies monthly on premium channels.

- Although device ownership is already high among viewers of movies online, there is still strong purchase intent for popular mobile devices; over half (53%) plan to purchase another broadband-enabled device such as a tablet, netbook, laptop or desktop computer and over a quarter (26%) intend to get a mobile phone with Internet access over the next 12 months.

- TV sets connected to the Internet are growing in importance for online movie viewing, particularly among younger adults – 26% of all streamers/downloaders and one in three in the 25-34 year-old age group say they stream movies on broadband-enabled TVs.

The importance of connected Blu-ray players as a drive of choice to watch premium (not user-generated) online video content is also revealed by The NPD Group in its latest report. HDTV sets are the other key driver.

Also, by 2015, nomadic broadband video users (accessing online content at fixed locations outside the home, such as coffee shops) will reach 154 million. Mobile (on-the-go) broadband video users are also expected to grow though not as quickly as nomadic users, says NPD. There were approximately 6 million mobile broadband video users at the end of 2010, a number that is expected to grow to 77 million by the end of 2015.

"Over the next few years, broadband video usage will predominantly be driven in the home by Blu-ray players and connected televisions," said Ross Rubin, executive director of industry analysis at NPD, and co-author of the report. "Handset manufacturers, though, have opportunities to tailor devices and software to the increasing prevalence of video."



For its part, SNL Kagan predicting that about 23% of all US homes will have at least one Internet-connected TV set or Blu-ray player in 2012, a proportion that will hit 51% by 2015.

Story filed 04.07.11