Ampere: Nearly 1/3 of U.S. viewers’ viewing time comes from smart TVs

According to Ampere, smart TVs are now the primary device for content viewing in the US. Time spent watching content on smart TVs has grown 27% since the first quarter of 2021. This means that nearly a third of internet users’ viewing time (31%) is spent on smart TVs, more than any other connected device. Smart TV’s share of viewing time surpassed “traditional” TV in the third quarter of 2022 and has been growing since then.

US internet users are spending more time watching content on their smart TVs, now averaging more than 90 minutes per day (equivalent to more than an hour and a half). This is a 27% increase from the third quarter of 2021 to the third quarter of 2024, with smart TVs now accounting for 31% of their total viewing time. The increase in smart TV viewing time is primarily due to the rising penetration of smart TVs in the market: as of the third quarter of 2024, 78% of US internet users own a smart TV, up from 59% in the third quarter of 2016.

The most significant increase in US Smart TV viewing time was among those aged 55-64. This reflects a similar trend in digital content viewing for this group (+61%), with Smart TV providing them with easy access to a variety of online platforms.

A similar trend is seen in Europe: 76% of internet users in the region own a Smart TV in Q3 2024, up 25% over the past three years. This growth coincides with a 25% increase in viewing time on Smart TVs between Q3 2021 and Q3 2024. European internet users still spend a larger portion of their viewing time on traditional broadcast TV channels, reflecting the strong appeal of these channels in the region. On average, they watch content on their Smart TV devices for less than an hour per day.