Netflix Usage Drops On PlayStation And Xbox
Video game consoles have been harbingers of new technology including the DVD player, Blu-Ray player, and streaming services such as Netflix and Hulu. While the formats were popular reasons for people to invest in the latest console, the popularity of Netflix on consoles such as the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One have been dropping, according to a recent survey.
The fact that Netflix usage is dropping on PlayStation and Xbox is made evident by a recent study from GfK posted on GamePolitics. GfK, a research firm, shows that while the video game consoles such as the PlayStation and Xbox are still the most popular method for watching Netflix, the usage has been decreasing over the last three years.
The report, entitled “Over-the-Top TV 2014,” indicates that 28 percent of those who stream Netflix on a TV used a dedicated set top box such as the Apple TV, Roku or Chromecast. This is up almost double from 2013 (15 percent) and almost five times the amount of 2011 (6 percent).
Other sources of the decline for Netflix on PlayStation and Xbox is due in part to many TV’s and other dedicated devices coming with digital content distribution platforms, such as Samsung’s “Smart TV,” which offers built in Netflix streaming.
As for Netflix on the video game consoles, the report showed that watching Netflix on the home TV via the Xbox, PlayStation or even Wii U is down to 43 percent, which is below the 62 percent figure from 2011.
“The wide variations in devices used – and in preferred device by age – speak to a need for Netflix and other SVOD providers to optimize the user experience for each situation,” – David Tice, SVP of GfK.”
Another interesting statistic to come out of the report is how each of the three generations consume digital Netflix through a TV. The Baby Boomer generation, ages 49 to 64, predominantly watch Netflix through built in features on their TV set. Generation X, ages 35 to 48, are almost even between video game consoles and built in TV offerings at 42 percent and 44 percent, respectively. Generation Y, ages 13 to 34, were found to use their PlayStation or Xbox to stream Netflix, with a digital media player, such as the Apple TV, being a distant second place option.
The full report from GfK comes on the heals of another announcement from their chief rival in the video streaming market, Verizon’s RedBox service, which is shuttering its service, as reported elsewhere on the Inquisitr. Other services such as Amazon Prime and Hulu also share around a quarter of the subscribers to Netflix, which points to the different services trying to lure customers with unique user interfaces as well as exclusive content.
