TDG forecasts significant growth for Social-Mobile video

TDG: Smartphones, Social Networks, and Video Taking Greater Share of Screen Time

PLANO, TX — According to new research from The Diffusion Group (TDG), the amount of time consumers spend each week using a ‘screen’ — a television, personal computer, tablet, or mobile phone — now tops 50 hours.

Importantly, the role that smartphones play in total screen time continues to expand. Per-capita use now stands at 8.6 hours a week, greater than the total amount of time consumers spend watching Broadband Video (8.2 hours/week). Notably, social networking now comprises four hours of weekly screen time, of which 63% is spent using services like Instagram (2.5 hours/week).

The overlap between smartphone and social network use is quite significant, which has led a number of companies to test the viability of Social-Mobile (SoMo) networks for video delivery. While SoMo Video currently accounts for .13 hours per week of screen time (10% of smartphone use and 14% of total Smartphone Video time), this is expected to change dramatically during the next decade,.

According to Joel Espelien, senior analyst with TDG and author of the new report, “Screen time is shifting towards mobile. Mobile usage is shifting towards social networking apps. And social networking apps are shifting towards video. All the trends are lining up in favor of massive growth in SoMo Video over the next decade.”

TDG forecasts that SoMo Video will experience massive growth during the next decade, up from 684 million daily viewing minutes in 2016 to 7.4 billion by 2025. As a share of total smartphone video viewing, SoMo Video will grow from 17% in 2016 to 43% in 2025.

TDG’s new report, The Future of Smartphone Video, 2016-2025, is the latest in the firm’s 12-year history of in-depth, long-term analyses of video technologies, business models, and consumer behavior. It includes:

• Detailed primary research on Instagram users (a key SoMo platform);
• New forecasts for smartphone use and video viewing, including breakdowns by age and video type (cable, broadcast, OTT, TVE, SoMo, and Broadband Video) through 2025; and
• A discussion of the strategic implications and recommendations for TV industry professionals who need to plan for and manage their businesses amidst the changing forecast.

For more information about TDG’s latest report, please contact sales@tdgresearch.com or call 469-287-8050.