Parks Associates conducted a survey that found four out of five smart TV owners use apps regularly. According to the report, 43 percent of usage is for watching video on a smartphone or tablet, and 45 percent is to play games on those devices. Perhaps the more telling stat is that 79 percent of smart TV owners, overall, are regular app users.
The findings lend credence to manufacturers’ desire to focus more on getting apps onto connected-TVs, except development has been slow, while deployment and implementation hasn’t been as seamless an experience as it’s been on mobile devices.
“TV viewing is a lean-back, shared experience, with apps as access points to complementary content, whereas smartphone app use is more personalized,” said Heather Way, senior research analyst for Parks Associates, about the report’s findings. “Apps will alter the TV viewing experience by opening new avenues to discover content and also serve as a means for content owners to push premium content to households.”
From the article, "Clear the coffee table: Apps take over the living room on TVs and tablets" by Ted Kritsonis.
