Internet-connected devices in the living room under-utilized
Interpret (http://www.interpretllc.com) -- an entertainment, media and technology market research firm -- recently released two Interpretations reports: "The State of Internet-Connected Living Rooms" and "Streaming Music: Will It Replace the CD and MP3?"
The "Living Rooms" report reveals that although Internet-connected devices in the living room have Proliferated to over half of U.S. consumers, they remain underutilized for TV and movie entertainment. For example, according to Interpret's New Media Measure syndicated study, only 22% of those who own a gaming console connected to the Internet have used it to stream a movie or TV show, and among owners of set-top boxes such as Apple TV or Roku, that number is even lower (18%). Obviously, Apple has a lot of catching up to do in this area -- and plenty of room for growth.
The "Streaming Music" report discusses the impact that streaming and "the cloud" are having on the music industry and whether these services are making the most out of optimizing their business opportunities. New Media Measure indicates that streaming music only accounts for 16% of the time consumers listen to music, suggesting streaming and cloud services need to demonstrate more value to convert listeners to paid subscribers or to benefit from advertising. And this is exactly why I don't think Apple will enter the music streaming market anytime soon.
-- Dennis Sellers