Video views on mobile devices accounted for more than half of the global total during Q2, highlighting strong consumer desire to engage with visual content at any time and place, according to aresearch.
Smartphones and tablets accounted for 53 per cent of all video views worldwide during the period, compared with 47 per cent accessed on a computer.
Mobile devices took share from desktop PCs in every region, except the USA and Canada. Smartphones’ share of views increased to 45 per cent from 38 per cent in Q2 2018, while the figure for tablets was unchanged.
The company attributed the surge in mobile video viewing to the increasing availability of premium content for mobile devices, lower data prices, as well as affordable Android smartphones, primarily produced by Chinese makers.
Unsurprisingly, Android devices dominated, mainly due to the availability of cheaper devices in all markets. The platform’s share increased to 68 per cent from 59 per cent in the comparable 2018 period, while views on iOS slipped from 44 per cent to 36 per cent. However, iOS fared better in the tablet segment, accounting for 60 per cent of total video plays in the recent quarter.
Brightcove suggested Apple will face major challenges in the near future with the rise of 5G connections and competition from low-priced alternatives using Android from companies including Samsung, Oppo, LG Electronics, Xiaomi and OnePlus, which have all announced or launched devices compatible with the next-generation technology.
A lack of 5G was a key talking point at Apple’s recent iPhone 11 launch, with the vendor targeting a launch in 2020. The timing means Android’s share of video views could rise, “as consumers look to take advantage of the speed and bandwidth benefits 5G offers”.
Brightcove tipped Latin America, the Pacific Rim, and India as emerging markets with a real potential for “dramatic growth” of mobile video.
