Roku, Fire TV operating systems dominate American marketplace
Roku, Fire TV operating systems dominate American marketplace
The two operating systems combine for a 54% market share, according to new data from Hub Research.
Whether you realize it or not, your smart TV operating system plays a crucial part in your TV-watching experience. The operating system of your smart TV or streaming device is the gateway to live and on-demand programming on your chosen apps, but different operating systems have different hierarchies for prioritizing the content they show you first. New data from Hub Research provides more details about not only which TV operating systems are in use most often in the United States, but also what viewers prioritize when using those systems.
Key Details:
- Dominant: Roku and Fire TV are the most-used smart TV operating systems in the U.S.
- Help me, AI!: Viewers say they want AI to help remove recommendations they won’t like from their TV menu.
- Standing pat: More than half of viewers say they rarely or never add new apps to their TV after setting it up.
Per Hub’s new “Evolution of the TV Set” survey, Roku and Amazon Fire TV are the operating systems employed most frequently in the United States. When asked which smart TV or streaming player operating system their most-used TV set had, 54% of respondents said either Roku or Fire TV; Roku claimed 37% of that market share on its own, while Fire TV accounted for another 17%. Android TV is next at 14%, and Samsung’s Tizen OS comes in fourth at 8%.
Click chart to expand.
Viewers say that being able to find what they want quickly is the most important feature of any smart TV operating system — far more important than personalized recommendations. Sixty percent of respondents to Hub’s study say that easy search is the most important facet of a TV operating system when searching for a new program, while just 31% say that personal recommendations are their most-desired feature.
Many viewers feel artificial intelligence can help improve their smart TV operating system, as well. When asked to identify a single AI feature that would be most valuable if added to their smart TV OS, 28% of respondents said they wanted AI to help exclude recommendations they won’t want to watch. A further 27% said AI could help generate new, personalized TV and movie suggestions.
Click chart to expand.
The crucial data for programmers in Hub’s survey is the fact that, once the initial setup of their smart TV or streaming player is complete, customers aren’t adding new apps at a high rate. In fact, only 51% of viewers added any suggested apps during the initial setup of their most-used TV, and 56% say they rarely or never add new apps after that initial setup.
Click chart to expand.
That points to the absolute necessity of ensuring a programmer’s apps come pre-installed, or are recommended heavily during the setup process of a smart TV or streaming device. If not, they run a large risk of never being downloaded at all, which means viewers will never see their content recommended in the device’s content rows.
The smart TV has become the main gateway to streaming content among American audiences. Hub’s data shows that Fire TV and Roku have continued to cement themselves as the dominant forces in the TV operating system market, and that viewers want to spend less time searching and more time watching.