Survey data can be manipulated any way an end user wants. In the case of a recent Harris Poll of 2,634 U.S. adults over 18-years-of-age, streaming video apps are the most appealing features for both smart TV owners and those who don't own the devices. That's good news for the likes of Netflix (Nasdaq: NFLX) and YouTube and for smart-TV makers who want to link their fortunes with the online video purveyors.
Buried a little deeper in the report, though, is this nugget: "Almost three-quarters (73 percent) of non-Smart-TV owners indicate that they are not that familiar (39 percent) or not at all familiar with Smart TV or Internet TV, despite the fact that shipment data suggests that manufacturers are continuing to ship more and more smart TVs."
The report's conclusion is that "this could be a major barrier to future purchase consideration."
Not surprisingly, the report showed that the biggest audience for smart-TV apps ranged among 18-to-35-year-olds who said that YouTube is the top "must have" app (57 percent), nudging out Netflix (54 percent) and what many consider the fast charger in the space, Amazon (38 percent).
"Younger adults desire a more social TV experience. With the proliferation of social media sites like Facebook, Twitter, and Google+, younger adults are not only more tech savvy, but are accustomed to being able to share their online experiences with their friends and family. So why not add TV viewing to the list of online experiences to share?" asked Manny Flores, senior vice president at Harris Interactive in a news release.
Of course, being tech savvy doesn't necessarily mean having the money to buy a smart/connected TV or even a broadband service to feed it. Consumers who meet those qualifications comprise a much wider swath of society that is likely to know little or nothing about the devices.
"Manufacturers and retailers evidently have to do a much better job of educating their consumers on what Smart TV is and the benefits of a Smart TV experience," Flores added. "Increased familiarity appears to be the key to driving purchase consideration."
For more:
- see this release
Related articles:
IPTV Brazil style: streaming Olympics to smart TVs
Research: more people using smart TVs to watch online video