NPAW Video Streaming Industry Report H1-2023
NPAW Video Streaming Industry Report H1-2023
NPAW Video Streaming Industry Report H1-2023
H1 2023
Video
Streaming
Industry
Report
Daily user engagement per service
makes a comeback as sports boom
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Table of contents
1. Introduction 4
2. Global Findings 7
2.1 VOD 7
Daily playtime per service reverts its downward trend 7
5. About NPAW 28
REPORT H1 2023
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Legal This report is for general information purposes only and it describes information
Disclaimer that may be subject to change or variation. NPAW will not be liable to readers
with respect to any business losses, including and without limitation to the loss
REPORT H1 2023
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Ferran G. Vilaró
REPORT H1 2023
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1 For the first time since 2021, the number of VoD minutes that
consumers watch per day, per streaming service increased (+4%). This
suggests that they may either be focusing on a few select services or that
overall consumption is rising
2 The global linear TV playtime per user and streaming service also
increased by 3%, reversing the downward trend that began in 2021 and
confirming a potential industry-wide shift
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The H1 2023 insights used in this analysis were extracted from the NPAW Suite from
January to June 2023. They represent real-time data from over 190 global NPAW
clients, including leading OTT providers, broadcasters, and telecom operators. As
our data library and client base are continuously evolving, the 2022 data presented
here may slightly differ from previous reports.
The findings are divided by geographical scope, content, and device type.
Additionally, the report provides a deep dive into the rise of sports streaming,
analyzing the year-over-year change in streaming adoption for major sporting
events in the first half of the year.
North Europe
America Asia
Middle
East
REGIONAL
DIVISION
LATAM
Pacific
DEVICE
DIVISION
Smartphone TV PC Tablet STB Console
REPORT H1 2023
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2. Global Findings
2.1 VOD
Daily playtime per service reverts its downward
trend
One more semester, the total number of plays and overall playtime increased for
VoD as the streaming industry continued to grow. However, for the first time since
2021, the initial half of 2023 saw an uptick in the global Daily Average Playtime
per User and Service. The number of minutes the average user streams per day
on each platform grew by 4% compared to the same period last year, reaching an
average of just over 53 minutes. Although small, this change could hint at the end
of the downward trend in consumption per user that individual service providers
have been grappling with in the face of increased competition. The market may be
consolidating as consumers gravitate towards a select few platforms, or they might
just be consuming more streaming content in general. Time alone will confirm this
trend either way.
53.3 +4%
Avg. Daily Playtime
per User and Service min
Europe
Absolute Change
North America H1 2023 vs H1 2022
Asia
Absolute
H1 2023
Change
vs H1 2022
79min 3% Absolute Change
30min
vs H1 2022
-12%
Middle East
LATAM Pacific
Absolute Change
Absolute Change H1 2023 vs H1 2022 Absolute Change
H1 2023 vs H1 2022 H1 2023 vs H1 2022
53min 6%
REPORT H1 2023
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With the exception of Asia, which recorded a 12% decline, all regions registered
higher playtime per person and service compared to H1 2022. North America led
the pack with a 41% increase, followed by Latin America at +21%. Looking at the
absolute numbers, two distinct groups emerge. Europe, North America, and the
t
Pacific are high-consumption areas, with averages of over 79 minutes of daily
usage per person, per service. The other group — consisting of Asia, Latin America,
t
and the Middle East — had less than 53 minutes of daily usage, with Asia registering
only 30 minutes. The gap is most stark between the Pacific and Asia regions, with
Pacific users streaming more than triple the minutes that those in Asia do.
H1 2023
2.6 titles
VoD
Global Avg. Daily
Number of Titles
per user and service
VoD — Avg. Daily Number of Titles Per User and Service (by region)
4.2
3.7
3.4
2.9
2.5
1.9
H1 2023
In contrast, the global Average Daily Number of Titles per User and Service
dropped by 4% in H1 2023 vs the first half of 2022. Paired with the increase in
playtime, this figure suggests that users are watching slightly fewer titles but for
REPORT H1 2023
a longer time. In absolute numbers, the biggest difference between regions can
again be observed between the Pacific and Asia, where the Pacific recorded over
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twice as many titles with 4.2 compared to Asia’s 1.9. The comparison with H1 2022’s
numbers shows no significant changes for most regions, apart from a 9% increase
in North America and a 13% decrease in Asia.
This distribution can be observed across all regions except for North America,
where movies accounted for almost the same amount of playtime as episodic
content. The Middle East is the region where episodic content captured the biggest
part of the pie, with movies and short content accounting for less than 10% of total
playtime.
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c
4% North A
me
Share of Total Playtime by Type 45% LATAM
ri c
a
8%
of VoD Content (H1 2023) 3% Mi d d l
1 1% 5% eE
as
Pacifi t 9
1 2% c
Episode Movie Short Euro
8% pe
% 7% A si a
23
%
1 5%
6%
13
Regional
25%
79%
Global
69%
73%
3
69%
92%
82%
51%
Regional — H1 2023
3.4
3.2
3.0
a
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In the first half of 2023, smart TVs accounted for 51% of the total VoD playtime.
Together with consoles and set-top boxes (STBs), this figure means that big screens
captured 61% of all minutes streamed. This showcases the viewers’ preference for
the traditional, full-format experience when consuming VoD content.
H1 2023
8 17
2 H2 2022
21
2 7
8
9
4
%
12
10
45
51
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decrease for smartphones (-4%) and PCs (-2%). While they still hold the second
and third positions respectively, smartphones and PCs are increasingly being used
as secondary streaming devices for watching content on the move or when the
household’s TV is unavailable.
Big screens also outpace smaller ones in terms of the average amount of time that
each user spends streaming VoD content on each device. STB and console users
streamed upwards of 120 minutes per day in H1 2023, followed at some distance
by smart TV users with 95 daily minutes. Of the small-screen devices, smartphones
registered the fewest minutes per day per user — over 20 minutes less than both
tablets and PCs.
VoD — Avg. Daily Playtime per User and Device Type (Minutes)
127.4 120.6
95.7
58 59.6
33.2
H1 2023
All devices saw an increase in the average daily playtime per user in H1 2023 vs H2
2022, particularly consoles with a 38% hike. Smartphones experienced the second
largest increase, but this change was less noticeable given their already low overall
use.
VoD Smartphone TV PC
16% 8% 2%
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H1 2023 vs H2 2022
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As observed in past NPAW reports, an increase in Join Time usually results in a spike
in EBVS. The longer users have to wait for a video to start, the more likely they are
to drop off. Interestingly, while the Middle East saw the largest increase in EBVS, it
was the only region to record an improvement in Average Join Time. Given that this
region has the highest Join Time in absolute numbers, it seems to be more reactive
to slower improvements in this particular metric.
Middle East
Asia
Europe LATAM
Pacific
North America
EBVS
2
Avg. Join Time
On a device level, the Average Bitrate generally decreased, except for consoles.
Tablets saw the largest fall (-18%). Meanwhile, the Buffer Ratio for PCs, STBs, and TVs
decreased, with PCs experiencing the most substantial improvement (-40%). The
rest of the devices saw an increase in the metric. Join Time rose for STBs and PCs by
REPORT H1 2023
32% and 13% respectively, with no significant improvements except for TVs (-8%).
Increases in EBVS were observed for consoles and PCs, with 27% and 17% spikes
respectively, while STBs and TVs registered notable improvements (-21% and -19%).
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H1 2023 vs H2 2022
Console 5% 2% 4% 27%
In summary, global VoD consumption saw a positive shift in the first half of 2023. For
the first time in two years, daily playtime per user and streaming service increased.
This indicates that consumers either expanded their consumption or focused on
a select few platforms. All regions except Asia recorded a rise in playtime per user
and service, with North America, Europe, and the Pacific recording the highest
usage. Viewers showed a preference for episodic content over movies and short-
form content, and smart TVs continued to be the favored device for streaming
VoD. Notably, and despite bitrate stabilization, the Quality of Experience for VoD
improved globally, as evidenced by a significant drop in Buffer Ratio. However,
these advancements varied across regions and devices. While some observed
improvements, others saw an increase in metrics like Join Time, implying there is
still room for further improvement.
REPORT H1 2023
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2.2 Linear TV
Daily user engagement makes a comeback
Global linear TV plays and playtime continued to increase in the first half of 2023
as more consumers chose online video for live and linear content consumption.
Additionally, mirroring VoD trends, daily engagement per user and service for linear
TV saw a global increase for the first time since 2021. This reverses the downward
trend that streaming providers had been struggling with due to the surge in
content and platform options. Awaiting future data, the online linear TV market
might also be reaching a state of consolidation, with viewers gravitating towards
a select few streaming platforms, or there could simply be an overall increase in
streaming consumption.
38 +3%
Avg. Daily Playtime
per User and Service min
Europe
Absolute Change
H1 2023 vs H1 2022
North America Asia
Absolute Change
65min 2% Absolute Change
H1 2023 vs H1 2022 H1 2023 vs H1 2022
Middle East
LATAM Absolute Change
Pacific
Absolute Change H1 2023 vs H1 2022 Absolute Change
38min 4%
H1 2023 vs H1 2022 H1 2023 vs H1 2022
The global Average Daily Playtime per User and Service for linear TV grew by 3%
REPORT H1 2023
in H1 2023 compared to the same period in 2022. Meanwhile, the Average Daily
Number of Titles per User and Service stayed virtually the same with a negligible
1% increase. This means viewers are watching more or less the same number of
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titles per day but for slightly longer. However, it is worth noting that, at 38 minutes
and 1.6 titles per user, day, and service, global linear TV engagement trails way
behind that of VoD, with 15 minutes and 1 title more.
H1 2023
1.6 titles
Linear TV
Global Avg. Daily
Number of Titles
per user and service
Linear TV — Avg. Daily Number of Titles Per User and Service (by
region)
2.1 2.2
1.6 1.7
1.4
1.1
H1 2023
Just like with VoD, Europe, the Pacific, and North America recorded the most
minutes of playtime per user and service, with the Middle East following closely
in fourth place. Despite showing the greatest increase in engagement, Latin
America maintained its second-to-last position, with Asia trailing again as the least
engaged region. Despite their high engagement levels, North America saw the most
significant decline in daily playtime per user per service, while the Pacific region
experienced the largest drop in the number of titles — trends they have maintained
over the past year. A careful review of these tendencies into the second half of the
year will confirm whether the downward trend for these two regions persists.
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H1 2023
4 7
H2 2022
10
%
34
9 40
0
40
4
6
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STBs were the only devices to experience an increase in the share of playtime in H1
2023 vs H2 2022, with a 6% gain. This increase was largely at the cost of smartphone
and PC usage, each seeing a 3% decline, as well as the 1% decrease in tablet usage.
The gap between small and big-screen formats is thus widening — a development
worth tracking into the second half of the year.
Regarding the average duration users spend on each device type watching linear
content, larger screens also exhibit the highest engagement. STBs recorded the
most playtime per user per day in H1 2023 with 91 minutes, followed at a distance
by consoles and TVs. When looking at smaller-screen devices, a significant gap
emerges in daily user engagement between PCs and tablets (50 and 42 minutes
respectively) and smartphones (20 minutes). This indicates that smartphones are
often used for shorter streaming sessions while outside of the household or when a
TV is unavailable.
91
66 67
50
42
20
H1 2023
Interestingly, despite being the devices with the highest playtime per user, STBs
were the only ones to witness a decline in the metric compared to the second half of
REPORT H1 2023
2022. Consoles saw the most significant rise, followed by tablets and smartphones.
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Linear TV Smartphone TV PC
19% 1% 7%
Global Avg. Daily
Playtime by Device Tablet STB Console
The Buffer Ratio improved considerably in most regions, especially in Latin America
(-19%) and Asia (-14%). However, it increased for the Pacific (+17%) and, more
notably, for the Middle East (+30%). The latter was the only region to see a decline
REPORT H1 2023
across all metrics, suggesting that local providers may be struggling with linear
quality. Regarding EBVS, only Latin America saw a substantial increase (+20%), while
Europe and Asia saw the biggest decreases (-14%).
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H1 2023 vs H2 2022
Europe
Avg. Daily Playtime per User and Service
Pacific
North
America
Middle East
LATAM
Asia
REPORT H1 2023
Avg. Bitrate
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At the device level, consoles and tablets experienced the most consistent quality
improvements in the first half of 2023 compared to the previous semester.
Conversely, smartphones exhibited the most negative changes, leading to a poorer
Quality of Experience due to longer loading and buffering times. TVs, although
showing overall quality improvements, still experienced a rise in EBVS. The
Average Bitrate increased the most for consoles (+17%) and STBs (+9%), while PCs
experienced the biggest decrease (-20%).
Buffer Ratio improved or remained the same for all devices except smartphones
(+10%), with TVs (-38%) and PCs (-26%) showing the most substantial progress.
Average Join Time generally improved across the board, with the exception, again,
of smartphones. The biggest increase in EBVS was seen in STBs (+35%) and consoles
(+18%). Notably, both remain the device types with the highest engagement despite
their steep increases in EBVS.
H1 2023 vs H2 2022
TV 4% 0% -38% 8%
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REPORT H1 2023
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Wimbledon
Champions League Roland Garros
56% 45 68%
49% 57%
37%
26%
14
45%
253%
39% 237%
14% 82%
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Average Bitrate
The basis of video quality, bitrate measures the amount of video
data transferred per second and is reflective of the video quality
being sent to the end-user device. The higher the bitrate, the higher
the video quality. High bitrates are necessary for a superior Quality
of Experience, but they require greater bandwidth and join times so
as not to impact the experience negatively.
Buffer Ratio
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5. About NPAW
NPAW serves more than 190 video-based services and processes over 124 billion
plays per year worldwide. Established in 2008 by co-founders of video streaming
service Wuaki TV (later sold to Rakuten), NPAW has offices in Barcelona and New
York with teams throughout the world. For more information, visit www.npaw.com.
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