Four in ten use Social TV apps
38% of US adult broadband users currently participate in “social TV” activity at least a couple of times per year, according to new research from The Diffusion Group.
Social TV viewing is defined as the simultaneous use of mobile technology (i.e., smartphones or tablets) to communicate and interact with currently viewed TV content or with others regarding said content.
According to Michael Greeson, director of research and author of the new report, the widespread diffusion of broadband Internet services combined with rapid innovation in mobile technology has led to a convergence between what were previously distinct experiences: watching TV versus using a “computing” device.
“As TDG predicted when the iPad was first introduced, in short order dual-device behavior would emerge, and that is precisely what is now taking place.”
Aside from changing the essence of one’s “personal TV experience,” Greeson noted that social TV is subtly working its way into long-standing business models, in particular those relating to advertising, subscription services, and on-demand applications.
