NEW YORK, Dec. 11, 2018 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Despite the worldwide growth and widespread popularity of mobile streaming content and apps, viewers remain frustrated by their experiences, according to the 10-country “International Streaming Behavior Survey” by Penthera, the global leader in high-quality download-to-go and related mobile video software.
An overwhelming majority of the 3,000 respondents (89%) reported that they stream TV shows and movies on their mobile devices. Unfortunately, a nearly identical number, 88%, reported that they experience some level of frustration while streaming video, stemming from the video taking too long to start up, buffering, annoying advertisements, increased monthly data costs, and public WiFi issues. This response rate is consistent with a survey of U.S. viewers, conducted by Penthera in February 2018, where 92% of respondents reported experiencing issues.
When faced with these connectivity issues, 47% of all international respondents reported simply giving up trying to watch. Even more daunting, one in five respondents said they would stop using that particular service, and more than a quarter said they respond to streaming frustrations by leaving a service for competitors with more reliable technology.
The good news is that most viewers take advantage of video download services to avoid these issues. More than two-thirds (68%) of respondents reported that they download video, and almost half said they do so monthly or more often. Further emphasizing the value of download capabilities, 58% of respondents said they would be more likely to subscribe to a streaming service if that service offered a download option, and 71% would pay a monthly premium for download capabilities.
“As media companies aim to develop best-in-class mobile video options, the importance of high-quality, seamless viewer experiences cannot be overstated,” said Penthera President Dan Taitz. “Viewers are eagerly adopting and exploring new streaming apps, but if you fall short on a quality experience, you will fail to engage them. With this survey, we were keen to shine a light on the frustrations that viewers encounter across different markets. Viewers are plagued by connectivity issues like buffering and other roadblocks that prevent them from watching content whenever they want. Streaming services must adapt and provide solutions that can mitigate these viewership issues.”
About the Survey
The Penthera International Streaming Behavior Survey highlights consumption habits and attitudes towards streaming and download technology across the globe, highlighting the LatAm and European markets. The company worked with EMI Research Solutions, an independent research company, to query 300 people in each of 10 countries: Mexico, Brazil, Colombia, Argentina, UK, Netherlands, Spain, Germany, France, and Italy. The survey sample included adults ages 18-50.
Key Findings
Mobile streaming is the norm
- 89% of respondents stream movies or TV shows on a mobile device
- 48% of panelists said they stream content daily
Frustration is felt on a global scale
- 88% of all respondents reported frustrations while streaming, the majority of whom said video buffering is the biggest frustration they experience (51%)
- The most common frustration reported by LatAm audiences was when the video took too long to start up (57%). In Europe, the biggest pain point was when video buffered, making it hard to enjoy (50%)
- Almost 60% of all viewers take some sort of action when experiencing frustration with streaming. These actions include giving up and trying again later (47%), exploring other apps for their streaming needs (25%) and completely stopping use of an app (20%)
Download awareness is high
- 68% of panelists responded that they have used download functionality
- The most resounding reason that viewers use download is to watch content whenever and wherever (54%)
- 71% of respondents would pay a premium monthly for download capabilities, and 19% reported a willingness to pay $5 or more per month
- Younger audiences, ages 18-29, are more likely to pay a premium, with 55% saying they’d pay $3 or more per month for a download option
Click here to download the full report and review complete findings.
To discuss product development for your company, please contact Dan Hurwitz at dan.hurwitz@penthera.com.
About Penthera
Penthera is a global software company that develops and deploys products facilitating the delivery of TV shows, movies and other video content over wireless networks to mobile devices. Led by Michael Willner, Chairman and CEO and Dan Taitz, President and COO, Penthera’s Download2Go solution allows consumers to watch video content when they don’t have access to a suitable internet connection.
Media Contact
WIT Strategy, for Penthera
Kendall Allen Rockwell
kallen@witstrategy.com