A recent study by GfU finds that 76% of respondents have heard of smart TVs. However, the terms “5G” and “Internet of Things” are much less well-known — only 26% of respondents know of 5G, the new mobile standard, while only 16% have heard about IoT.
According to the data, Ultra HD TV ownership has grown in comparison with the previous year (20% compared to 16% in 2017) and 61% said that UHD has strongly influenced their buying decisions. 46% own a smart TV, compared to 42% in 2017. Their use has also risen compared to the previous year (61% compared to 56% in 2017 and 53% in 2016).
Among 16 to 39-year-olds, this figure jumps up to 68%, while 63% of 40 to 59-year-olds and 60% of over-60s said they have a smart TV. 63% of respondents are aware of video-on-demand services. 46% of over-60s said they use a TV and tablet for streaming, while those aged 16 to 39 use a smartphone (62%) or a PC (50%).
Amazon Prime leads streaming services with 74%, followed by Netflix with 58%, Google Play with 27% and Sky Online with 23%. Maxdome was the only German provider, in sixth with 15%. Compared to 2016, Netflix increased its share by 19%.
Movies are the most popular type of streaming content on 82%, followed by TV series (68%), vendors’ own productions (35%), sports (21%) and news and documentaries (20%). TV series are particularly popular with the younger generation (16 to 39-year-olds) with 76%.
The wide range of programmes also means that viewers rarely watch television at specified broadcasting times. As many as 43% of respondents decide to watch programmes at other times. This proportion has been rising continuously since 2015, when it was 29%. The figure among 16 to 39-year-olds rose from 37% in 2015 to 58% this year.
Just last week, another GfU report shed light on consumers’ TV purchasing habits.
