Despite high levels of smartphone and tablet ownership in the UK, a new report from Decipher has shown “little evidence” of mainstream buying of films and TV shows on them – a practice known as ‘electronic sell through’ (EST).
The Mediabug report suggests that there is a general lack of awareness over how to manage digital entertainment, despite relatively mature services from the likes of Apple and Google that allow multi-device access to digitally purchased video, and the ability to delete and re-download at any time.
The report also suggests that too much effort is required to get digital copies to the larger TV screen using devices such as Apple TV or an Amazon Fire TV stick.
To date, 24% of the UK online population have purchased a digital copy of a TV show or film with most using an online store such as iTunes, Google Play, or Amazon Instant.
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However, the report also reveals that the newer option to purchase video via a TV set-top box from Sky and BT seems to be attracting new consumers to digital buying. To date, 8% of the UK online population have purchased via their set top box, but half of this group (4%) had never purchased EST before.
The finding, according to Decipher, is a “strong indication” that set-top boxes are able to reach new audiences “previously resistant” to purchasing digital entertainment.
The advent of so-called TV EST “knocks down a few of those barriers” by allowing purchase and viewing all on the set-top box, Decipher said – and could represent a “tipping point” for the mainstream families who are used to their set top box being the main source of entertainment in the home.
“The advent of TV EST ticks all the right boxes for mainstream consumers; putting digital purchases right there alongside live TV and recordings on the family set-top box,” said Dr. Hamish McPharlin, director of Decipher Media Research.
“We are not surprised that this has appealed to consumers previously resistant to purchasing via devices.”
Other key findings from Mediabug, which is now in its fourth year and is based on an online survey of almost 3,000 UK consumers, reveal that live TV viewing has not lost any share of longform viewing time year on year – breaking a two year decline against subscription VOD and catch up.
It also shows that there is evidence that the rapid adoption of SVOD services such as Netflix is reaching its maximum potential, with growth “slowing substantially”.
