Consumers’ expectations for mobile TV have tailed off significantly from when such services were first being hyped a couple of years back – but there’s still enough of an appetite bubbling underneath, a new forecast says.
Jupiterresearch/Forrester’s latest report on the topic shows mobile TV adoption now at just one percent, and interest in all types of mobile TV is just over half what it was in 2006, with the most interest around watching live TV streams – a mere nine percent of US survey respondents.
Why the failure? The report blames patchy network coverage, limited channel lineup, poor video quality, excessive prices and a penchant among high-end phone users for business handsets rather than video phones.
But there is hope – 15 percent of folks said they’d like to record TV shows to be viewed later on mobile, suggesting VOD catch-up is the way ahead. And long-form is still an acceptable option – of those keen on recording-to-go, majorities were interested in full-length TV shows and movies. The report said the business needs to bring out more video-capable handsets, offer recording of shows on phones and produce mobile-specific hit shows.