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View Full Version : Video on iPods Not As Popular As You Might Think


Jason Dunn
11-21-2006, 10:00 PM
<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/news/e3i61fccc799efa3cb769017fad91ec0209' target='_blank'>http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/hr/content_display/news/e3i61fccc799efa3cb769017fad91ec0209</a><br /><br /></div><em>&quot;Nielsen Media Research has begun gathering its first data on the audience for Apple's iPod, calling into question the popularity of its video offering. Owners of Apple's ubiquitous portable media device spend far more time on it listening to music or audio podcasts than they do using it to watch TV or movies. That was among the findings in an unprecedented preliminary study conducted by the audience-measurement service in October -- about one year after a video window was introduced to iPod and its corresponding Internet platform, iTunes...Among the findings: Less than 1% of content items played by iPod users on either iTunes or the device itself were videos. Among video iPod users, that percentage barely improves, up to 2.2%. Even measured by duration of consumption, where 30- or 60-minute TV shows might seem to have a built-in advantage over three-minute songs, video comprises just 2% of total time spent using iPods or iTunes among iPod owners. Video iPod users consume video 11% of the time.&quot;</em> <br /><br />An interesting study - I would have thought that with all that iTunes video content out there, a higher percentage of people would be using it (though I wasn't expecting a huge number). Guess not - so what's the barrier? Is it screen size, not enough content, or just that people aren't in scenarios often enough where mobile video is possible? I personally believe it's the latter: audio is a passive/multi-tasking experience, while video requires your attention (with rare exception). People are simply in scenarios less often where they can watch a screen and focus 100% of their time on it. I think it would have been interesting if they cross-referenced this survey with questions about when they <em>do</em> watch video content - as in, on vacation, travelling for business, on weekends, etc. <br /><br />I know that in an average week I watch zero mobile video, but when I travel for business or pleasure, mobile video is a very common scenario. I'm preparing for a trip to Hawaii now and am synching over about 20 TV shows...not to my Zune though, the stupid thing won't support DVR-MS conversion (yes, that will be in the next part of my review, if I can ever get it finished).

Vincent M Ferrari
11-21-2006, 11:12 PM
<blockquote>I personally believe it's the latter: audio is a passive/multi-tasking experience, while video requires your attention (with rare exception). People are simply in scenarios less often where they can watch a screen and focus 100% of their time on it. I think it would have been interesting if they cross-referenced this survey with questions about when they do watch video content - as in, on vacation, travelling for business, on weekends, etc. </blockquote>

I would only say that with all the television shows and movies downloaded...

...Someone is watching :-)

But you're right. Video is too much commitment. Honestly, I can listen to music / podcasts and do a million other things. If it's video, though, you can only do one thing, and that's watch video.

Jason Dunn
11-22-2006, 01:22 AM
I would only say that with all the television shows and movies downloaded...Someone is watching :-)


But only 2% of iPod owners? That number is what you were expecting? That just doesn't seem like much to me...although I wonder what the % is among 80 GB iPod owners.

Vincent M Ferrari
11-22-2006, 01:34 AM
Two points...

1. The iPod is obviously primarily a music device both in function and perception, even if it is the new 5th and 5.5th generation iPod.

2. Secondly, I don't see anywhere in there where they mention what they consider video content. I think that's at least somewhat important seeing as they specifically mention iTunes purchased content, but nothing about user-generated content, ripped DVD's, and so on.

3. Thirdly, 400 people is not a reasonable sample size to draw a conclusion on all iPod owners.

4. It's Neilsen, which is interesting because if people stopped watching television, no one would need Neilsen to decide ad-rates :-D

LPD
11-22-2006, 06:45 AM
Vincent makes a really good point about user-generated content and ripped-DVDs. As I posted before, I calculated that iTunes has only sold about 14 songs per iPod sold. If that is true its understandable that their is little viewing of videos purchased from iTunes.

Dyvim
11-22-2006, 04:13 PM
But only 2% of iPod owners? That number is what you were expecting? That just doesn't seem like much to me...although I wonder what the % is among 80 GB iPod owners.

No, it's not 2% of ipod owners - it's 2% of content items. Now that makes sense as you'd expect to have most of your music library and then a couple vids to watch. There's another statistic that says 16% of iTunes\iPod owners have tried at least one video and it also says that video iPod owners watch videos 11% of the time - which is actually quite a lot I think for something that's primarily a music device.

Vincent M Ferrari
11-22-2006, 04:18 PM
Just thinking out loud here... I have about 2600 songs on my iPod, and about 30 videos.

That makes my percentage roughly 1.1%

That's a good point, Dyvim.

Jason Dunn
11-22-2006, 04:38 PM
No, it's not 2% of ipod owners - it's 2% of content items.

Wow. Lies, damn lies, and statistics. I totally goofed in how in interpreted the data, mostly because I the site I linked to interpreted it in the same way...unless I mis-interpreted that too. :rolleyes: