Internet TV conquers Swiss living rooms

More and more people are consuming TV content from the Internet, such as streams of sporting events.Video streaming is booming in Switzerland. Streaming TV content is increasingly being perceived as an alternative to conventional reception channels. Just under 10% of Swiss people now only receive TV content from the internet, double the figure from the previous year. More than half of the Swiss (56%) can well or very well imagine watching television exclusively via Internet TV in the future, 33% more than in the previous year. This is the result of a representative survey conducted for the second time in German-speaking and French-speaking Switzerland by the market research institute TNS Infratest on behalf of Zattoo. A total of 829 people aged 15 and over took part in the online survey and provided information about their viewing habits, as they did at the beginning of 2015.According to Jörg Meyer, Chief Officer Content and Consumer at Zattoo, there are good reasons why the Swiss are increasingly seeing internet TV as an alternative to cable or satellite TV: "Most households have a fast internet connection. Large technology companies such as Apple, Google and Samsung are entering the market with powerful streaming boxes and TV sets. And internet TV services are constantly improving in terms of streaming quality, content offerings and user-friendliness."Smart TV on the riseFalling costs for smart TVs and opportunities to 'upgrade' existing televisions with inexpensive streaming boxes are making a significant contribution to the growing appeal and spread of internet television. Today, more than one in five Swiss people already stream television on the big screen. In addition to use on the big screen, another advantage of Internet TV offerings is their availability on other devices. PCs/laptops are still the frontrunners, followed by tablets and smartphones.Demand for flexibility increasesSwiss users can choose from a wide range of moving images. Two clear favorites dominate the screens: YouTube and live TV, e.g. via Zattoo. Almost three out of five Swiss Internet TV users regularly stream these services. Content from video-on-demand providers and TV broadcasters' media libraries are also popular. "The demand for time-shifted television or on-demand content is increasing. This is why Zattoo is positioning itself as a platform that brings together live television with media library content and TV productions on demand," adds Jörg Meyer.Video streaming is mainstreamOnline viewing of moving images is now an integral part of media usage for many people. Around three quarters of all Swiss people take advantage of the benefits of streaming video content, with around one in three doing so either predominantly or exclusively. Compared to its German neighbors, where only 56% of respondents stream TV content, the online TV market in Switzerland is therefore much more advanced, regardless of whether they watch live or on demand on a smart TV or tablet: For more than 90% of respondents, watching TV is still one of the most important free-time activities that they do at least once a week.