Tablets taking over from TV | Bangkok Post: tech

For people who wonder what a tablet is for, the answer appears to be watching more and more video. In fact, for many users, tablets are replacing TVs as their first screen.

More of us are watching TV shows and live events on tablets, according to a new report. ©Aspen Photo/Shutterstock.com

Ooyala's latest quarterly Global Video Index report, which analyzes viewing habits of close to 200 million viewers in over 130 countries and was published Thursday, reveals a growing trend for using smartphones and, in particular, tablets for consuming video and for watching live stream broadcasts, sports events and feature films rather than just 10-minute viral video clips.

Back in March 2012 when the iPad 3 was launched, tablets' share of video viewing jumped 26 percent and since then has grown 90 percent. What's more, 71 percent of total tablet viewing time was spent watching videos 10 minutes or longer and 30 percent of viewing time was spent watching content over an hour long.

However, we're not just using tablets to watch content; the use of connected games consoles and smart TVs to access and watch content is also growing. In fact, game consoles are now more popular than desktop computers for watching live video with users spending on average 43 minutes watching on demand and live streams compared with 40 minutes for desktops.

Tablets also score highly in this regard, leading Ooyala to conclude that engagement and comfort are driving this behavior. Using a tablet, smart TV or connected console is more comfortable than sitting at a desk, in front of a PC, even though that is the traditional destination for searching for and watching online content.

But what is also clear is that regardless of device, people are turning to the internet for films, TV and live events rather than their traditional broadcaster or cable provider.

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