Online viewers turning to game consoles, study finds
Consoles have become the most popular way to watch online movies and shows on TVs in the U.S., new data shows.
Video game consoles have become the most popular way for U.S. consumers to watch online entertainment content on their TVs, according to a new report from market researcher Strategy Analytics.
While the PC remains the most popular device for watching stuff online, more people are turning to game consoles such as Microsoft's Xbox 360 or Sony's PlayStation 3. Some 12 percent of U.S. households use the game platforms to watch online movies, TV shows or videos--more than the percentage that connect PCs to TVs via HDMI, researchers found.
The report also found that 65 percent of Xbox users under the age of 25 watch online TV shows and movies primarily on their games consoles.
"The upcoming Xbox TV launch for the holiday season will demonstrate an expansion of the partnership between the games consoles and the online TV and video industries," Jia Wu, a senior analyst at Strategy Analytics, said in a statement. "Games consoles have already become the key media hub in US households."
The data comes as Microsoft ramps up plans to bring cable television content to the Xbox. The software giant announced last month that nearly 40 television content providers--including Comcast, Verizon, and HBO in the United States--will roll out programming over Xbox Live. The company also has deals lined up with providers in the U.K., Spain, Canada, Mexico, Germany, and Italy.