In just a year, Google’s Chromecast streaming device has now equaled Apple TV’s penetration. It is clear that the rise of digital streaming devices is not going to fizzle out anytime soon. The use of these devices has increased to a 20 percent share of TV households this year, a significant increase over last year’s 12 percent.
According to a recent analysis from Parks Associates, streaming devices as well as the gaming consoles whose functionalities include streaming, will be the hot gifts of the holidays. TV is still the centerpiece screen for digital streaming viewing, with over 70 percent of video consumption. Given that, digital streaming device purchases will likely reflect those that are TV-centric.
A full 25 percent of consumer electronics given as gifts this year were digital streaming devices and 20 percent were gaming consoles. That means that nearly half of electronic devices as gifts this year are intended for streaming, either “TV” or games.
Of non-console streaming devices, Roku has a 6 percent share, Chromecast 5 percent, Apple TV at 4 percent and Boxee and Amazon Fire TV stand at 1 percent.
As digital streaming continues to grow, it still has a long way to go before being viewed as a full replacement for traditional TV. Although these devices are seen as an alternative, the actual impact they have on TV viewing is apparently small, as the research showed digital streaming is viewed equally as an additive or a replacement for TV.
