Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Audio / Video
  3. News

Netflix, Amazon Instant Video top ‘must-have’ apps for Internet-connected TV owners

By
netflix
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Internet-connected television sets are somewhat of an enigma in the technology scene. Their existence hasn’t quite been embraced by consumers, but companies like Samsung and Sony continue to hope that consumers will catch on with “Smart TVs.” But for those of us that are enjoying the fruits of a Smart TV at home, a Harris Interactive Poll has found that three of the top four applications are video streaming apps.

Netflix tops the poll (used by 47 percent), while YouTube (44 percent) and Amazon Instant Video (33 percent) follow closely behind. ESPN (21 percent), Hulu+ (21 percent), SyFy (14 percent), HBO Go (13 percent), MLB.com (8 percent), Vudu HD Movies (7 percent), Conema Now (7 percent), and Vimeo (5 percent) were among the top 15 applications that pollsters had recommended as the “must have” applications for their Internet-connected TV.

Recommended Videos

Total

Generation

Echo Boomers

(18-35)

Gen Xers

(36-47)

Baby Boomers and Matures

(48+)

%

%

%

%

Netflix

47

54

48

37

YouTube

44

57

42

29

Facebook

35

45

32

23

Amazon

34

36

35

30

Pandora

28

33

24

23

ESPN

21

19

23

23

Hulu +

21

26

18

18

Twitter

17

23

13

12

Syfy

14

16

11

13

HBO Go

13

13

19

10

Rhapsody

9

13

7

7

MLB.com

8

7

8

9

Vudu HD Movies

7

8

12

2

Conema Now

7

9

7

4

Vimeo

5

7

8

1

None of these

23

28

23

28

Seeing as how 11 of the top 15 must-have applications are some form of a video streaming service, it’s evidence enough to see that our television viewing habits in this day and age are undoubtedly shifting. With the abundance of streaming services that exist today, we no longer have to disrupt our busy schedules to catch that one show that starts right after you get off of work (unless that show is on HBO).

But what this also means is that Internet-connected TV owners are willing to pay for the convenience of streaming television shows or movies on a larger screen rather than simply use their computers. Nearly 50 percent of Smart TV owners recommend paying for a Netflix subscription, and a significant number of owners had recommended Amazon Instant Video, Hulu+, and HBO Go, which are among the top paid-subscription video services today.

There’s a correlation in the data between the sales of Internet-connected televisions with the adoption of subscription services. Internet-connected TV owners are more likely to use their television for video streaming-related forms of entertainment. But the number of subscribers to such services on their TV is of course reliant on the market penetration and awareness about Internet-connected TVs. According to the poll, 73 percent of non-Smart TV owners were not familiar with Internet-connected television sets, but 29 percent of non-Smart TV owners suggested that they were likely to purchase a Smart TV within the next 12 months upon learning about its existence. Only 7 percent of pollsters unfamiliar with Smart TVs were likely to purchase a Smart TV in the next 12 months.

For Netflix, Amazon Instant Video, and other streaming services, it’s clearly in their best interest that the Internet-connected television makes it into more households.

Do you own a Smart TV? If so, which applications do you use?

Editors' Recommendations

Topics
Francis Bea
Francis Bea
Former Digital Trends Contributor
Francis got his first taste of the tech industry in a failed attempt at a startup during his time as a student at the…
Amazon Echo Show 15 is getting the full Fire TV update today
Amazon Fire TV on Echo Show 15.

The line between the Amazon Echo Show 15 and a Fire TV is blurring, with the former getting the experience of the latter starting today with a software update.

It won't quite turn your Echo Show 15 into a Fire TV 15, per se. But it'll give it full access to the Amazon Appstore, and that means you should have all the apps available to essentially turn it into a wall-mounted streaming powerhouse (provided that everything's square when it comes to APIs and app updates, but we have a feeling Amazon and the developers will have that figured out in short order, if things aren't already working as expected).

Read more
Cut the cord: Quit cable for the best streaming services
The LG G1 Gallery Series OLED TV.

So you want to cut the cord and join the streaming revolution? There are so many on-demand streaming services available now such as Netflix, Hulu, Amazon Prime Video, HBO Max, and Disney+ to name a few. Add to that that the growing selection of live TV streaming services, such as Hulu Plus Live TV, Sling TV, ESPN+, and YouTube TV, as well as live HD broadcasts with an antenna. The whole thing can be rather confusing, especially when you're trying to pick the best streaming services for you. We'll walk you through everything you need to know to finally cut the cord and kick cable to the curb.

Not everyone is cut out to be a cord-cutter, though. Ditching your satellite or cable subscription and the bill it carries sounds great in theory, but it's not something you want to rush into without a bit of research. Let's go through the best methods for dropping traditional cable in favor of some of the best streaming services.
First things first: How's your internet?
The thing about internet-delivered TV is that you need a broadband connection that can keep up with the streaming lifestyle. This may seem like a foregone conclusion, but we want to make it clear that if you're going to bet your precious entertainment future on your home network, you had better have a solid internet connection. Netflix and other similar streaming video services suggest a minimum downstream speed of 5Mbps for HD streaming, but if you have inadequate home internet connection (like 5Mbps) that is not going to allow for a smooth streaming service experience, especially when you consider other devices also using the connection. You will likely experience buffering and possible crashing of the show you are streaming, especially for those with families or households streaming more than one show or movie at a time.
High-quality streaming needs higher-speed internet
Of course, if you're looking to get into the streaming big leagues to access the growing array of 4K Ultra HD streaming content available from Netflix, Amazon, Disney+, YouTube, and others, you'll want to kick up your broadband speed to at least 25Mbps. If you're only going to be downloading 4K content from sites like FandangoNow or Ultraflix -- which offer 4K content at speeds as low as 4Mbps to 10Mbps -- 25Mbps will probably suffice, but regardless of which streaming service you select, fast and reliable internet is key to a positive streaming experience.
Peak internet usage time can affect your streaming
We also recommend testing your internet speed at peak streaming hours (between 6 and 10 p.m. on weekdays) to determine if your neighborhood struggles under the strain of heavy traffic. For example, if you routinely get around 10Mbps downloads during the day, but that speed takes a dive to about 3Mbps around dinner time, you'll want to call your internet provider to see if anything can be done. Fortunately, this is an increasingly rare problem outside of rural areas, but better to check ahead.
Check your home network equipment
Don't forget to check your home network equipment. Most modern routers and modems should offer up all the speed you need, but non-gigabit equipment may not suffice for simultaneous 4K streams. Any hiccups in your experience also may be caused by weird technical issues such as improper port forwarding, wireless interference, or other random things that are tricky to track down, some of which we'll attempt to help you troubleshoot. If you're unsure about any of it, be sure to give your internet service provider a call.

Read more
Prime Video app gets a major update
Prime Video app screenshots on Fire TV.

Amazon today announced a major update to the Prime Video app on Amazon Fire TV devices, as well as on its Android app. The update brings a better navigation menu, makes it easier to find and watch live events — particularly sports — and just overall makes the entire experience better.

The update, some 18 months in the making, Amazon says, will start pushing out this week on living-room devices and should hit Fire TV and Android devices throughout the summer. (Update: The "living room" push also includes Roku, the biggest competitor to the Fire TV platform, along with Apple TV, and Google TV.) Other platforms — like iOS and in Prime Video in a web browser — will follow later.

Read more