A little over half of on-demand videos are viewed on mobile devices, according to a quarterly report published by Ooyala. The figure (51 percent) is an impressive leap from just 15 percent in 2015 and a whopping 203 percent higher than the same period in 2014.
Ooyala’s study analyzed 3.5 billion daily video events from more than 220 million global viewers classified as “power users.” The habits outlined in Oolay’s Global Video Index for the second quarter analyzed the habits of users who visited an on-demand video provider at least seven days per month that made more frequent visits each day than an “average” customer.
For the second quarter of 2016, iOS remains the most-used platform by video streamers. Specifically, iPad takes the lead at 65 percent for popularity, compared to 35 percent of views on Android tablets, but Ooyala notes that the gap is closing.
“We’re seeing Android claw back share as manufacturers push more Android tablets—especially lower-end consumer products—into the market,” the report states.
Surprise—more ads are still watched on TV and the computer
Despite the rise in mobile viewing, traditional TV provides the highest pre-roll ad completion rates for publishers were highest on smart TVs at 83 percent, followed by tablets at 81 percent. Consumers viewing content on a desktop computer reportedly completed 76 percent of pre-roll ads, and mobile phone users completed 74 percent.
These ads are being seen by more desktop users, as well. In the second quarter, the highest percentage of pre-roll impressions for publishers occurred on computers, at 50.4 percent with 31.8 percent of impressions on mobile phones and 17.7 percent on tablets.
According to the Pew Research Center, 90 percent of US adults own mobile phones and 64 percent own a smartphone. For younger viewers, mobile is often their first and primary source of viewing content, and 85 percent of young adults own a smart phone, so the mobile age is expected to continue being ushered in with the next generation.
“Worldwide, the streaming industry is seeing phenomenal growth, both in the number of subscribers and in the number of services that are rolling out,” says Ooyala. “It’s a heady time to be a streamer.”
