A new Parks Associates report on streaming media devices reports four brands – Amazon, Apple, Google, and Roku – accounted for 86% of all units sold to U.S. broadband households in 2014. This market concentration will force new entrants to develop unique solutions in order to have an impact in this expanding ecosystem. The Streaming Media Device Landscape estimates that 86 million streaming media devices will be sold globally in 2019.
“Roku continues to lead streaming media device sales in the U.S. with 34% of units sold in 2014. Google is second with 23%, and new entrant Amazon overtook Apple for third place,” said Barbara Kraus, Director of Research, Parks Associates, in a statement. “The market consolidation around these four brands forces new entrants to develop more creative features and functionality to tap into the strong consumer demand for streaming content. Devices with additional functionality such as the Intel Compute Stick may be a sign of things to come, where streaming is not the primary function but an extra feature to provide additional value.”
The Streaming Media Device Landscape reports that nearly 20% of U.S. broadband households own at least one streaming media player, such as a Roku 3, Amazon Fire TV, or Apple TV. Eight percent own at least one streaming stick, such as a Google Chromecast, Amazon Fire TV Stick, or Roku’s HDMI Streaming Stick, while 2% own both form factors.
“Device shipments and sales receipts are important performance measures, but an equally critical metric for device makers is ongoing usage,” Kraus said. “Usage will drive alternate revenue streams such as content sales and advertising. Roku devices are the most used among U.S. broadband households that own a streaming media device at 37%, followed by Google Chromecast at 19%, Apple TV at 17%, and Amazon Fire TV devices at 14%.”
Source: Parks Associates
MacDailyNews Take: With 80% of U.S. households still up for grabs, this race has barely even started yet.
How could they possibly know this when Apple and Amazon do not release sales figures.
Especially when the Apple TV is capable of Air Play, if this company’s numbers comes from web streaming data they probably miss me because I have an Apple TV but my primary use for it is to Air Play stuff from my iPhone or iTunes. To the outside world it looks like I’m streaming with my iPhone. 😀
New Apple TV won’t help the stock price.
Ok… What will?
Obama will save us.
That ship has sailed, sunk and has a bit less than two years to rot. We are certainly more divided by the one who would lower the sea level though. Shame.
I was being facetious.
People don’t get facetiousness anymore. I doubt many young ones even know what it means. People take everything literally.
Politicians get a pass when so many people think they know what they stand for because “they said it.” Now, if we have to get down to reading between the lines…well, that’s so OLD generation. People only read the lines today, not between them.
I got it when you posted. But I knew perfectly well others wouldn’t. Okay. Maybe I err on occasion myself. But the person DOING the facetiousing also has to get it right so the rest of us easily know it. The skill has been lost on both ends.
I’m done.
Something to create revenue. It’s an iPhone company, a one trick pony. Streaming tv service would help.
Bring back Aperture! Stop pandering to the social media morons (SMM), and recommit to good old fashioned software and hardware, just like Steve did. Apple must (re)-learn not to piss off millions of previously loyal customers just because it wants to chase whatever this minute’s fad is.
Apple has never even advertised Apple TV, pretty damn good to me considering all the competitor ads I’ve seen.
New Apple TV is coming so wait a few months and then see who’s on top.
That’s what she said 😛
Without a substantive alternative to the cable companies, I don’t think it will change much. I own 3 Apple TVs and won’t make any changes until SOMEBODY offers an alternative to 500 channels to get the 25 I really watch. If the broadband companies had any sense, they would partner with SOMEBODY to offer their internet service packaged at a discount with a streaming TV service.
Baloney.
I do not understand why MDN does not call them out. No one has presented their unit sales figures. Amazon is still losing money. Roku is privately owned.
Just made up numbers.
I’ve tried Amazon Prime while on my Mac and the quality isn’t that great. I’ll stick with my Apple TV where I was able to stream a video from my iPhone last night and watch movies in HD.
Airplay is tv’s strongest selling point.
I plan on buying two more soon. 😊
Bandwidth usage is way too high an ATV. My (small, independent) ISP made a pretty pointed case that it will suck in all the bandwidth it can get leaving slow Internet for everything else. His demo was pretty conclusive to me…and he’s an Apple fan. He’s recommending Roku because it doesn’t have that problem using up so much bandwidth. I’m not switching, but I am hoping that Apple addresses that problem. I have multiple ATVs now and will likely get several more after its upgrade…if the bandwidth use reduces.
The next generation Apple TV will change that.