Just when you thought Roku was breaking all the records FireTV comes out of no where to take the lead. FireTV users are growing faster than Roku users according to Amazons fourth quarter results. Amazons success is a great example of how its ecosystem drives customer loyalty. Because of the size of Amazon its no wonder they are starting to outpace all other streaming TV devices.
To be honest there really is not many reasons for a consumer to choose a Fire TV device over a Roku. Roku actually has the edge here because their platform-agnostic approach means it supports a larger array of services and doesn’t play favoritism with any of them.
However for online broadcasters this competition between FireTV, Roku and other streaming devices is nothing but good news. As these giant compete for market space the in-direct result is more and more consumers are canceling their cable and satellite subscriptions and turning to connected TV devices such as FireTV, Roku and Apple TV.
So for the record, YES Amazon FireTV is growing at a faster rate than Roku and other devices….However that does not mean Roku is shrinking. On the other hand that is just a testament to the times we live in. In fact all connected TV platforms are growing with no signs of letting up any time soon. According to Convivas customer base Apple TV saw a 709% growth in viewing hours in 2018.
Overall viewing hours of internet-delivered video across mobile, connected TV’s and desktop screens grew by 114% in 2018 with android being the leader for viewing hours in mobile devices. The future for broadcasters and content producers is clearly internet TV delivered through various connected TV devices and Smart TV’s.
IT makes sense that if you want to distribute your channel to as many viewers as possible then your network needs to be on as many distribution platforms as you can (with FireTV and Roku leading the pack).
If your new to internet TV then it can be a challenge to figuring out how to actually accomplish getting on all these different platforms. Our customers use our Channel Manager to both manage their online TV network (create and schedule playlists, broadcast live, VOD , Social Media broadcasting and more) and add distribution platforms such as FireTV, Roku, Apple TV, Samsung Smart TV and mobile devices.
Although FireTV is growing in active viewers they still lag behind Roku and Apple TV for average time per user spent streaming video content. In other words Roku with less users still has more viewing hours – probably mainly due to the fact that most of the content on Roku is Free non-subscription based (although there are plenty of subscription channels as well).
Amazons FireTV active user growth seems mainly because of their Prime Video service in which 95 million Americans have access too. If your a prime member and want to watch Prime Video the user experience is much better. So users that want to access and pay for premium content typically turn to FireTV.
However FireTV (unlike Roku) is one of the very few connected TV devices that is both supported international as well as has a international following/viewership. With more than 100 countries including United States, Canada, United Kingdom (UK), Germany, Austria, Japan, India, and many many more. This is why so many international broadcasters that want to reach audiences outside of the UK and USA pick the FireTV as their platform.
If you are thinking about owning….or already own a online TV network then your strategy for audience and viewership growth should be in line with viewer trends. Today FireTV is a platform that you just can’t be without or your missing a large piece of the growing connected TV market/audience.
If you would like to get a subscription to our channel manager click here to learn more about it and start your own online TV network.