According to the Diffusion Group, despite the widespread availability of inexpensive ancillary TV streaming devices, 32% of OTT TV users prefer having the native connectivity of a smart TV. TDG surveyed 2,000 U.S. adult broadband users, 60% of whom use an OTT streaming service on a home TV set.
When asked which TV streaming platform they prefer, 32% of OTT TV users selected their smart TV, approximately equal to the penetration of smart TVs in general.
Game consoles followed second, selected by 25% of OTT TV users, while Internet set-top boxes were preferred by 17%. Streaming sticks and Blu-ray players were selected by 10% of OTT TV users.
Michael Greeson, director of research at TDG, theorizes that smart TVs' dominance likely boils down to ease of use. "With smart TVs, viewers are not required to manually switch inputs from the TV to another device or pick up a different remote in order to access their favorite streaming apps and programs."