No less than 40 percent of U.S. Internet homes – a total 39 million – will have a streaming media player come 1Q 2017, according to a new forecast from NPD Group. Just 16 percent had one as of 1Q 2014.
Taking into account purchases this past holiday season, NPD expects 24 percent of U.S. Internet homes will have streaming media players in 1Q 2015. That will grow to 33 percent by 2016, according to the NPD Connected Intelligence Connected Home Forecast.
Apple and Roku drove production and consumer adoption in the streaming media player market’s early stages. Over the past year and a half the likes of “Amazon and Google have made a significant impact,” NPD states in a news release.
Streaming Media Player Penetration
A variety of other devices – TVs, video game consoles and Blu-ray Disc players are also being used to deliver apps to viewers’ TVs, NPD notes. Across these four types of streaming media devices, streaming media players will contribute most to overall market segment growth, NPD believes. TVs will be the second strongest growth driver for installed and Internet-connected TV devices over the next two years.
Overall, NPD expects the total number of devices delivering apps to TVs will rise to reach 211 million by 1Q 2017. Growth in streaming media players, moreover, is contributing to growth in streaming video services. According to NPD’s Application and Convergence Report, percentage growth in streaming video services was greatest for Amazon’s Prime Instant Video among the top five services this past year. Netflix topped NPD’s ranking of the top five apps on TVs by streaming media player owners. YouTube ranked second, Amazon Prime & Instant Video third, Hulu Plus fourth and HBO GO fifth.
“The rapidly growing streaming media player market, coupled with rising ownership of smart TVs and the new generation of game consoles is resulting in significantly more homes getting access to apps such as Amazon Prime Instant Video and HBO GO,” John Buffone, executive director, NPD Connected Intelligence, was quoted as saying.
“Over the coming years we will continue to see a growing audience of TV viewers for streaming video services, authenticated network apps, and offerings such as CBS All Access that no longer require a pay TV subscription from a cable or satellite provider.”
