Tablet computers now the second main TV in the home

Tablet computers such as the iPad are rapidly eating into the multi-billion Dollar TV business, with an estimated 112.5m consumers expected to own one in the US by 2016, according to Forrester. The TV distribution doesn’t just affect TV sets, but also how content is distributed, such as cable/satellite operators and even related consumer electronics.

Aertv, which streams the Irish digital TV channels online within Ireland, said that roughly a quarter of its traffic is from mobile devices. The iPad accounts for 45% of these mobile devices, followed by the iPhone at 34% and other devices accounting for the remaining 21%. They say that most people watch TV on a tablet to resolve “screen conflicts” where family members dispute over what’s on the main living room TV.

Online viewing peaks around sporting events, such as where a sports fan hogs the living room TV and someone else wants to watch their soap (or vice versa.) Another common use for tablet owners is to bring television to a room or place where there is no TV set, such as in the kitchen, public waiting area or even in the bathroom!

According to Aertv, 80% of viewing on mobile devices occurs within the home. The average viewing time on the Aertv service is 12.5 minutes for the iPad, 10.5 minutes on the iPhone and 7.5 minutes with other devices.