Apple TV viewing hours surged 709 percent in March quarter

Posted:
in iPod + iTunes + AppleTV
Video streaming on the Apple TV rocketed higher during the March quarter, with viewing hours up 709 percent year-over-year, according to newly published research data.

Wonder Woman on Apple TV 4K


By comparison, Roku hours were up 87 percent, said video AI platform Conviva, cited by TechCrunch. Roku, however, maintained the lead in total hours streamed -- one billion -- versus the Apple TV's 256 million.

The video streaming industry as a whole is said to have grown hours watched by 114 percent to almost 5 billion. Conviva's data is relatively comprehensive, as its clients include the likes of CBS, Hulu, HBO, NBC, Turner, and Sky.

It's not clear what was behind the surge of the Apple TV, but the Apple TV 4K launched in September. One of Apple's coups with the product was the ability to buy 4K versions of many movies at the same cost as 1080p. In some cases, previously purchased 1080p movies can be upgraded automatically.

The set-top box is also one of the few that can output HDR (high dynamic range) video using either Dolby Vision or HDR10 -- many devices only support one of the two, if any. Amazon also resumed Apple TV sales in December, simultaneously bringing its Prime Video app to tvOS.

Apple may still have trouble catching up to Roku, which has had success with an agnostic approach to streaming services, as well as selling many different tiers of hardware. The company has also partnered with makers like TCL and Sharp on TVs that use Roku OS as their native interface.
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Comments

  • Reply 1 of 25
    The Roku is ok.

    But the Apple TV has better quality apps plus some pretty good games.

    Also quite a bit more powerful.

    The Roku’s main card is pricing. It’s most expensive box is about half the price of a 4k Apple TV.
    RobPalmer9watto_cobra
  • Reply 2 of 25
    irelandireland Posts: 17,798member
    Apple should sell an entry level machine at a lower cost. In my neck of the woods, for example, the cheapest ATV is €159 ($194). They should have kept the old model around IMO.

    Regarding gaming, they should produce a genuine first party dedicated gaming controller. ‘People who are serious about software should make their own hardware’.
    edited April 2018 argonautwatto_cobra
  • Reply 3 of 25
    sirlance99sirlance99 Posts: 1,293member
    Still need Atmos. 


    friedmud
  • Reply 4 of 25
    boltsfan17boltsfan17 Posts: 2,294member
    ireland said:
    Apple should sell an entry level machine at a lower cost. In my neck of the woods, for example, the cheapest ATV is €159 ($194). They should have kept the old model around IMO.

    Regarding gaming, they should produce a genuine first party dedicated gaming controller. ‘People who are serious about software should make their own hardware’.
    At this point, I don't think Apple should make their own controller. Gaming has been a huge letdown on the ATV4. It drives me nuts when I see Nintendo and old Sega titles being released on the iPhone, but nothing for the ATV. There is so much potential, but it seems like game developers have forgotten about the ATV. 
    txsbaker75
  • Reply 5 of 25
    boltsfan17boltsfan17 Posts: 2,294member
    Still need Atmos. 


    That would be great. Has Apple ever said Dolby Atmos would eventually be supported? I believe the Verge or some other site mentioned it, but they didn't provide any sources from Apple. 
  • Reply 6 of 25
    Rayz2016Rayz2016 Posts: 6,957member
    Apple TV viewing figures are up 709% and Armchair CEOs are still trying to tell them how to run their business. 

    🙄
    schwabsauceStrangeDaysDoctorQSolimacxpressbb-15watto_cobra
  • Reply 7 of 25
    StrangeDaysStrangeDays Posts: 12,834member
    ireland said:

    Regarding gaming, they should produce a genuine first party dedicated gaming controller. ‘People who are serious about software should make their own hardware’.
    Why? What’s in it for Apple, more so than letting third party controller companies make em? Isn’t it like when Apple stopped making printers?
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 8 of 25
    tallest skiltallest skil Posts: 43,388member
    What’s in it for Apple
    Defining the experience.
    DoctorQirelandwatto_cobra
  • Reply 9 of 25
    rogifan_newrogifan_new Posts: 4,297member
    Who is AI platform Conviva and how did they arrive at these figures? Are 3rd party apps providing them this data? Or are they somehow able to access Apple TV customers and what they’re streaming?
    lostkiwi
  • Reply 10 of 25
    irelandireland Posts: 17,798member
    ireland said:

    Regarding gaming, they should produce a genuine first party dedicated gaming controller. ‘People who are serious about software should make their own hardware’.
    Why? What’s in it for Apple, more so than letting third party controller companies make em? Isn’t it like when Apple stopped making printers?
    Holy crap.
  • Reply 11 of 25
    SpamSandwichSpamSandwich Posts: 33,407member
    I dunno... Personally, I'd go for an ATV with a built-in OTA DVR.
  • Reply 12 of 25
    wandersowanderso Posts: 116member
    I use our ATV4 with the channels app for 90 minutes of live TV DVR. Plex is also available if you want to stream DVR, but you need to configure a media server or NAS that is fast enough to store the files. 

    For us, the Sling App used on ATV4 and its included DVR fits our needs. 

    Now that Amazon Prime is on ATV4, the access to different services is complete. 


    watto_cobra
  • Reply 13 of 25
    AppleInsider said:
    [Roku] has also partnered with makers like TCL and Sharp on TVs that use Roku OS as their native interface.
    The irony here is agonizing. Last Christmas I picked up two TVs to be used as dumb displays with Apple TV boxes. I bought the cheapest I could get, and both coincidentally happened to include the Roku interface. The least expensive TVs I could find at the time both included Roku. Being able to play the programming I purchased on the iTunes Store required buying the most expensive streaming box on the market.

    I gotta wonder if I'd be better off buying 4K Blu-rays...
  • Reply 14 of 25
    FujiFuji Posts: 1member
    I received an Apple TV 4k when I signed up for Direct TV Now. 

    I wonder if that promotion has added to a spike in numbers.


  • Reply 15 of 25
    It's the only way I watch television anymore. It's not yet perfect, but it beats the alternatives hands down.

    I don't go to movies, b/c people eat like donkeys.

     I don't rent or buy DVD's.

    I don't have cable b/c of the inane and incessant commercials. I don't need to know about Taco Bell's new cheesy fries. (Are they trying to kill us?)


    I pay for HBONow for Bill Maher and the occasional moview and suscribe CNN's GPS with Fareed Zakaria (the best show on television!) even though I have to watch it a day later. Ugh!

    I pay $6.99 to rent movies and sometimes purchase them at $15-$20 if I can't wait for them to become available to rent. My rational is, I used to take my GF to the movies and dinner on Friday nights...but it would end up costing me $100. No more. Now we watch movies at home. She doesn't like it as much. Sometimes she goes out with her 'best friend.' I never did like that guy!  /s

    :)

    Best.
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 16 of 25
    linkmanlinkman Posts: 1,035member
    I wonder if the collaboration for Movies Anywhere has helped swing these numbers?
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 17 of 25
    I don't go to movies, b/c people eat like donkeys.

    :)

    Best.
    How do donkeys eat?
  • Reply 18 of 25
    SoliSoli Posts: 10,035member
    ireland said:
    Regarding gaming, they should produce a genuine first party dedicated gaming controller. ‘People who are serious about software should make their own hardware’.
    You didn't do yuorsellf any favors with that quote. Apple writes their OS (i.e.: SW) and makes the HW for it. Companies that make game should then make their own controllers for these games, per your own argument.
    watto_cobra
  • Reply 19 of 25
    SoliSoli Posts: 10,035member

    I don't go to movies, b/c people eat like donkeys.

    :)

    Best.
    How do donkeys eat?
    Noisely.
    bb-15watto_cobra
  • Reply 20 of 25
    radarthekatradarthekat Posts: 3,842moderator
    I don't go to movies, b/c people eat like donkeys.

    :)

    Best.
    How do donkeys eat?
    Like people in movie theaters. 
    bb-15watto_cobra
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