Consumer Preferences Shift to Digital Content Reveals Limelight Networks’ New ‘State of Digital Downloads’ Report
June 13 2017 - 9:53AM
Business Wire
Video games, books, music and magazines are now
purchased online more often than physical copies
Consumers worldwide increasingly depend on smartphones to access
digital content and tend to go online to purchase video games,
movies and books, according to the latest “State of Digital
Downloads” research report from Limelight Networks (Nasdaq:LLNW), a
global leader in digital content delivery.
Highlighting consumers’ shifting demand for both streaming and
downloading content, the annual report found that only 14 percent
of all respondents still prefer to rent or purchase DVDs of movies
and TV shows, and only 25 percent prefer hard copies of books or
traditional print media. In comparison, two-thirds (66 percent) of
respondents prefer to stream or download TV shows and movies, while
38 percent prefer to download books, newspapers, and magazines.
When it comes to music, almost half (46 percent) of respondents say
they prefer to download music rather than stream it or purchase a
CD.
Comparatively, European respondents’ entertainment consumption
is similar, with 13 percent of European consumers preferring to
rent or purchase DVDs of films and TV shows. Around 15 percent of
German and UK respondents opt to consume entertainment through
these traditional mediums, compared to just 9 percent of their
French counterparts. The preferences for streaming rather than
downloading content continues to grow. Notably, two-thirds of
European consumers (62 percent) prefer to download or stream TV
shows and movies. The highest streaming rate is observed in France
at 49 percent, compared to 42 and 40 percent in the UK and Germany,
respectively.
More than one third (37 percent) of German consumers choose to
download books and magazines, with the UK (36 percent) and France
(30 percent) not far behind. German respondents are 58 percent less
likely to consider obtaining hardcopies. Similarly, respondents in
Germany and the UK (34 percent) opt to download music in comparison
with less than a third (25 percent) of French consumers. Instead
French respondents are 56 percent more likely to stream music.
“Digital content is now the preferred format for media
consumption by a growing mobile-first audience,” says Michael
Milligan, Senior Director at Limelight Networks. “There’s no
question that content needs to be easily accessible and optimized
across all connected devices and global networks if it’s to reach
the widest possible audience and provide the best experience. This
is no longer a feature for providers, but a necessity for
survival.”
Additional insights from the report include:
- Consumers want free content.
When it comes to accessing music, half of consumers (51 percent)
will only download it if it’s free. British (56 percent) and German
(44 percent) audiences are significantly more likely to accept
having to pay for music than their French neighbours (29 percent) A
further 74 percent will only download a mobile application if it is
free. However, this pattern shifts when it comes to books and
movies, which customers are more willing to pay for (40 percent are
willing to pay to download TV shows and movies.)
- Consumers expect fast downloads.
Nearly one-third (30 percent) of all respondents highlight slow
download times as their primary frustration with downloading
content. Japan, in particular, has little patience for slow
downloads with 41 percent of respondents citing this as their top
frustration. Consumers in the UK also cite slow downloads as their
number one frustration. Interestingly, the concerns around
downloading varies significantly across European consumers. The
bigger concern for German consumers (32 percent) is when it doesn’t
work. By contrast, French respondents are more frustrated by
content that has to be started all over again (29 percent)
- New apps and app updates are the
most common type of content downloaded. In fact, these are
downloaded 22 percent more often than music, the second most
downloaded type of content
- The Internet of Things (IoT) hasn’t
gained widespread adoption yet. Two-thirds (66 percent) of
consumers do not yet have devices such as digital assistants, home
automation hubs, or internet-connected thermostats and have no
plans to purchase them in the next two years. However, consumers
aren’t avoiding IoT due to security concerns. In fact, less than 30
percent of all respondents express a security concern with either
digital assistants or smart home devices. This is reflected in
attitudes of European consumers. Respondents in the UK are the most
concerned (28 percent), followed by Germany and France respectively
(26 and 21 percent, respectively). UK consumers have the highest
number of privacy concerns with nearly one third (26 percent)
seeing this as a major issue around IoT devices.
The “State of Digital Downloads” report is based on a survey of
3,500 consumers ranging in age, gender, and education in France,
Germany, India, Japan, Korea, the UK, and the U.S. The complete
‘State of Digital Downloads” report is available here.
About LimelightLimelight Networks Inc., (NASDAQ: LLNW), a
global leader in digital content delivery, empowers customers to
better engage online audiences by enabling them to securely manage
and globally deliver digital content, on any device. The company’s
Limelight Orchestrate Platform includes a global infrastructure
with a fully-integrated suite of capabilities and services to help
you address all your content delivery needs. The Orchestrate
Platform solves your most important content delivery challenges so
you can deliver the next great digital experience anywhere. For
more information, please visit www.limelight.com , read
our blog, follow us
on Twitter , Facebook and LinkedIn and
be sure to visit Limelight Connect.
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CommunicationsDaniel Couzens, +44 (0)20 7437
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