Classifying Streaming Sticks and Set Top Boxes
Smart TVs represent a growing category of devices. The growth is being driven by various flavors of Video platforms. These include:
- AVOD: Advertising-based video on demand (e.g. Hulu’s ad supported option)
- SVOD: Subscription video on demand (e.g. Netflix, Max)
- FAST: Free Ad-Supported Television
ScientiaMobile’s WURFL device detection solutions can identify different classifications of Smart TVs. These include:
In 2023 Q2, Connected TVs are the largest category of Smart TVs, with 66% of the Smart TV category
But OTT devices are also a significant category. In 2023 Q2, OTT devices were 13% of all Smart TV form factor.
Top Streaming Sticks, 2023 Q2
Amazon had the most popular OTT streaming stick devices detected in 2022. The Amazon Fire Stick Lite was the most popular Streaming Stick with 4.00% of the Smart_TV category. The Amazon Fire TV Stick – 3rd Gen (2020) was the next most popular with 2.47%.
Aside from Amazon, the top devices also include:
- MXQ TVBOX-5G
- Flexymove X96 mini
- Lipa TVBOX
- Xgody X96Q Pro
Where are Roku devices?
It should be noted that the data MOVR analyzes comes primarily from web-browsing sessions. In other words, people who have used the browser capabilities of the OTT device or connected TV to browse to a web-site where we track usage.
Of course, with OTT video, most people primarily use the apps from various video services found on the device. MOVR data will not track that usage because it all stays internal to the video service. If MOVR had internal data from SVOD, AVOD, or FAST video services, then the rankings of devices would change.
Certainly, Roku devices belong in the is_OTT category. But generally, Roku users do not have the means (or inclination) to browse the web. Therefore, Roku and other similar OTT devices are under-represented relative to their usage in the OTT and streaming video industry.