“The iPhone was not just a communication tool, but a way of life.” – Steve Jobs
Early mobile devices were limited in their use cases until smartphones came around. Since then, the world has increasingly become “mobile first”.
Mobile users still call and text, but more time is now spent playing games, scrolling social media, and streaming video than ever before.
In 2020, YouTube dominated mobile video streaming with the average monthly time spent per user reaching 23.1 hours in the U.S. Netflix, although #2, was still far behind. Hulu, Prime Video, and Twitch followed.
Thinking Through The Mobile Video Data
It’s important to consider the nuances in the content. Netflix and Hulu viewers are viewing longer form video, whereas YouTube content is such more fragmented.
These attributes can make a platform like YouTube much more mobile friendly. Despite the shorter content, the average mobile session on YouTube lasts more than 40 minutes.
Streaming platforms like Twitch are also gaining popularity and introducing new content that sees short session times. Even Spotify has expressed an interest in moving into short form video to complement their audio offering.
It’s interesting to think of how this will continue to evolve, and which players are well positioned to capture value.
Twitter: @_SeanDavid
The author or his firm have positions in mentioned securities at the time of publication. Any opinions expressed herein are solely those of the author, and do not in any way represent the views or opinions of any other person or entity.
