4 Out Of 5 Smartphone Users Use At Least One OTT Entertainment

SUMMARY

OTT entertainment apps have become the most penetrated app category

Hotstar has been downloaded by 49% of smartphone users

74% of the OTT entertainment app users have more than one app

In a MegaInsight study by techARC-Unomer said that four out of five smartphone users are having at least one OTT Entertainment platform which they are using for entertainment. This means 80% of the smartphone users use at least one OTT platform.

Notably, this is in addition to the ‘casual’ entertainment over YouTube and other user generated content platforms like TikTok.

The report emphasised that OTT entertainment apps have become the most penetrated app category among smartphone users in India, after social networking, chatting and ecommerce apps.

Faisal Kawoosa, founder and chief analyst, techARC said, “While 4G has undoubtedly created this category, it has been adequately complemented by the smartphone industry by innovating to save every micron on the screen for better and full screen viewing backed by powerful battery and stereophonic sound.”

One of the interesting revelations of the report was that Disney owned content streaming platform Hotstar has been downloaded by 49% of smartphone users. The report noted that one of the main factors for Hotstar’s growth has been its sports, especially cricket content, be it IPL or now the World Cup Championship.

This stands true as in June, it has said that it hit 100 Mn daily active users during the India versus Pakistan match at the ICC Cricket World Cup on June 16. Further, during the India vs New Zealand semi-final on July 10, the platform registered an unprecedented 25.3 Mn concurrent viewers.

However, a major fact is that 74% of the OTT entertainment app users have more than one app installed on their Smartphones. The report noted that this is challenging for the industry as their advertising revenue potential goes down by not owning a higher number of unique users. This is because of similar app available across all major platforms, including in VoD category.

Here are other interesting revelations:

42% of the smartphone users have MX Player app installed on their smartphones, making it second-most penetrated app
In Live TV category, Jio leads with 30% penetration among smartphone users followed by airtel and Vodafone Play

One of the other interesting parts of the report was that 79% of the male smartphone users have an OTT entertainment app as compared to 74% of females. However, platforms like Amazon Prime Video and Netflix which have a mix of global as well as local content, is more popular among women.

“The new age women of India are going beyond the regular daily soap operas on the regular TV channels and looking for more engaging and entertaining content for which they watch such OTT platforms. These also include working women and students who are living on their own, typically out of their home city/town,” the report added.

Netflix penetration among women is 9% compared to 8% in men while its 15% and 13% for Amazon Prime Video respectively.

Poised to be a market worth $5 Bn by 2023, the regulations are also under works for the players such as Amazon Prime, Netflix and Hotstar who have their skin in the game.