According to the just-released “State of Digital Downloads” report by Limelight Networks, only 14 percent of consumers surveyed in various parts of the world say they still prefer to rent or purchase DVDs of movies and TV shows, and only 25 percent of respondents favor hard copies of books or traditional print media. For broadband operators, the continuingly growing subscriber demand for both streaming and downloaded content obviously means a continuingly growing demand on their networks.
“Digital content is now the preferred format for media consumption by a growing mobile-first audience,” Michael Milligan, senior director at Limelight Networks, says. “There’s no question that content needs to be easily accessible and optimized across all connected devices and global networks if it’s to reach the widest possible audience and provide the best experience. This is no longer a feature for providers, but a necessity for survival.”
The report indicates consumers are not forgiving of their providers when it comes to sluggish downloads. Nearly a third (30 percent) of overall respondents noted slow download times as their primary frustration with downloading content. Japan, in particular, has little patience for slow downloads with 41 percent of respondents citing this as their top frustration.
The research, which is based on a survey of 3,500 consumers ranging in age, gender, and education in France, Germany, India, Japan, Korea, the United Kingdom, and the United States, shows 66 percent of respondents prefer to stream or download TV shows and movies, while 38 percent of respondents prefer to download books, newspapers, and magazines. About half of survey takers (46 percent) noted they prefer to download music over streaming or purchasing a CD.
On the Internet of Things (IoT) front, an interesting conclusion from the report is that it hasn’t gained widespread adoption among those surveyed. Two-thirds (66 percent) of them said they don’t yet have devices such as digital assistants, home automation hubs, or internet-connected thermostats and have no plans to purchase them in the next two years.
Interestingly, respondents reported they aren’t avoiding IoT due to security concerns in main part. In fact, less than 30 percent of respondents noted a security concern with either digital assistants or smart home devices.
More on the report is available here.
