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Nearly Half Of Younger Viewers Watch Mobile Video Each Week

If you need any more evidence that mobile video is the future, here’s this new nugget — as tablet ownership grows, so does tablet mobile viewing.

Makes sense, right? Of course. Even so, the figures are useful to have on hand. The just-released Altman Vilandrie & Company survey of more than 3,000 consumers revealed that tablet ownership jumped to half of the U.S., up from 40% in 2013. Along with that, more consumers are watching movies and TV on those tablets—26% now say they watch TV and movies on tablets, up from 17% last year.

The younger users are leading the mobile video charge. More than 40% of consumers under 35 use their smartphones to watch TV or movies each week, the survey found.

The study unearthed another interesting data point: binge viewing is popular on smartphones. About 71% of smartphone viewers watch three episodes of a show in one sitting at least once a month, and 41% also use TV Everywhere every month.

Even so, consumer awareness of TV Everywhere still sits at a low 40%.

As mobile phone viewing rises, it’s having some impact on traditional multichannel video. The study found that cord shaving rose from 26% last year to 35% in 2014. More than half of those under 35 say they spend less money on cable since they watch online video instead. But they’re not cutting the cord. Only 5% of TV homes say they aren’t cable TV users because of online video.

These findings coincide with other industry reports supporting the skyrocketing growth of mobile. Ooyala reports in its second quarter study that mobile video now comprises 25% of online video viewing, and it will rise to half by 2016.

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