Do consumers want Facebook on their TV?
Facebook is one of the most popular apps on Samsung connected TVs worldwide, according to Futuresource Consulting.
The figures show that the social networking app ranks as joint second alongside eBay in Germany (with YouTube claiming first place) and is the third most popular Samsung connected TV app in the UK after BBC iPlayer and YouTube. Facebook is also the third most popular Samsung app in the US, after YouTube and Netflix, and fourth most popular in France.
However, this research contradicts the general view of the media industry. At MediaTel Group’s recent ‘The Internet Comes to TV… 3’ seminar, the panel agreed that some forms of social media will work well around TV but there was a consensus from the panel (Nigel Walley, David Brennan, Graeme Hutcheson and Jon Hewson) that consumers will not want their personal Facebook account plastered on their 42″ living room screen.
A member of our youth panel, Amy Daramola, also explains why she would not want Facebook on her TV screen in this vodcast.
However, John Bird, principal consultant at Futuresource Consulting, says: “The power of Facebook is beyond belief. People said that consumers would not want to use Facebook on television because it is not a computer but they were wrong. People are always connected to their community and ‘always-on’. Facebook adds lots of value and the key thing is how broadcast TV will interact with it.”
A Business Insider article, written back in January 2011, predicted that Facebook will be the future of television. “Here’s what could change the game: Facebook TV. Consumers just don’t see the value proposition of having the internet on their TV. But they might see the value proposition of having their friends on their TV.
“TV can be a very social experience after all. Think about live events, or must-watch (i.e. must-chat-about) TV shows. We enjoy talking with our friends about great stuff on TV. That’s something consumers already do.”
Samsung, which is the global market share leader for connected TVs, has around 550 apps available worldwide compared to 300,000 Android apps available for the Samsung Galaxy smartphone. Bird points out that there will be fewer apps for TVs but they will feature “more important apps”.
He expects there to be a rise in broadcaster apps for particular shows, rather than just whole channels. However, Bird says the national broadcaster apps will also be important if the list of the most popular apps in Europe is something to go by.
The most popular apps on Samsung connected TVs include:
UK –
BBC iPlayer (58%), YouTube (54%), Facebook (41%), eBay (31%), Skype (25%), LOVEFiLM (22%) and Twitter (22%).
US –
YouTube (53%), Netflix (50%) Facebook (48%), eBay (27%), Skype (23%) and Twitter (20%).
To read the full videonet article, click here.