Bigger screens and faster streaming mark the OTT preferences among Indians

A study of OTT streaming patterns among Indian viewers in December 2023 revealed a significant tilt towards larger screens and faster services. The data, collated by NielsenIQ in a recent study commissioned by Amazon, shows that a whopping 78 per cent of respondents favoured streaming on televisions using devices such as streaming sticks, smart TVs, and set-top boxes over smartphones, tablets, and laptops.

Indian Audiences Prefer TVs For OTT Content
The shift towards television streaming is attributed to the enhanced video and sound quality it offers, coupled with the comfort of accessing a broad spectrum of content from various OTT platforms and online sources. The ergonomic advantage of TVs also plays a role, as they allow viewers to maintain comfortable postures, avoiding the discomfort that can come with prolonged use of smaller devices.

Streaming Speed Highly Valued
Alongside big screens for watching OTT content, the speed of streaming is crucial for Indian audiences. The study found that 39 per cent of users valued seamless, lag-free streaming, while 24 per cent appreciated having a wide array of OTT apps at their disposal. Additional features that resonated with users included voice assistants for content searches and smart home management, as well as the capability to consolidate online content and live TV from DTH services onto a single screen.

Weekend Watching Trends
The study indicated that weekends saw an average of five hours of daily streaming, a notable jump from the less than three hours typically observed on weekdays. A substantial 97 per cent of viewers preferred to stream during dinner time, with 74 per cent sharing the experience with their families, predominantly spouses and children. Comedy emerged as the top genre, with sports, thrillers, romance, horror, international TV shows, and news following in popularity. MSN