• Research: Samsung Leads in Smart TVs, Roku in CTV Devices

    Conviva released detailed streaming viewership data late last week for Q2 ’20, finding that Samsung is the clear leader in smart TV viewing time while Roku leads in connected TV devices. Globally, CTV devices accounted for 48% of viewing time, with Roku holding a dominant 49% share of CTV time (followed by Fire TV at 29%, Apple TV at 8.7% and Chromecast at 7.3%).

    Smart TVs accounted for 15% of streaming viewing time, with Samsung holding a 49% share (followed by LG at 23% and Vizio at 11%). Rounding out the share of streaming viewing time, gaming consoles accounted for 11%, desktop and mobile each at 10% and tablets at 5%.

    CTV devices have an even higher share of streaming viewing time in North America (56%) compared to smart TVs (14%).

    But Conviva noted that globally smart TVs more than doubled their share, with viewing time up 239% vs. Q2 ’19. CTV devices grew viewing time by 61% and gaming consoles by 55%. Smart TVs led with 26.6 minutes per play, followed by game consoles with 25.1 minutes per play and connected TV devices and desktop each at 15.5 minutes per play. Of all devices, Chromecast had the longest sessions, with 34.1 minutes per play.

    Overall, streaming viewing time was up 63% in Q2 ’20 vs. last year as shelter at home guidelines remained in place. But growth cooled over the 3 months, declining from 81% growth in April to 58% in May and 49% in June.

    Even as streaming viewing times surged, Conviva found that ad attempts dropped by 28% in Q2 ’20 vs. Q1 ’20 which it attributed primarily to the lack of live sports in Q2. On a positive note, in its earnings report last week, The Trade Desk said it saw pick up in ad demand in late June and into July.

    Conviva also noted that YouTube saw a big 69% increase in viewing on connected TVs, with 25% share vs. 16% in Q2 ’19. YouTube’s mobile viewing declined from 67% share to 59% in Q2 year-over-year.

    There is a lot more data in the full report, which can be downloaded here.