Smart TVs are now the predominant device for consuming content in the US according to Ampere’s Media Consumer data. Time spent watching content on Smart TVs has increased by 27% since Q1 2021. This means almost one-third (31%) of viewing time among Internet users is via a Smart TV - higher than any other connected device. Among this group, Smart TV’s share of viewing overtook that of ‘regular’ TV in Q3 2022 and has been growing ever since.

US internet users are spending more and more time watching content on Smart TVs, now averaging over 90 minutes per day (equivalent to more than an hour and a half). This is an increase of 27% between Q3 2021 to Q3 2024, with Smart TVs now accounting for 31% of their total viewing time. This increase in Smart TV viewing is largely driven by a rise in Smart TV ownership across the market: As of Q3 2024, 78% of US internet users owned a Smart TV, up from just 59% in Q3 2016.

The most notable growth in US Smart TV viewing comes from those aged 55-64. This reflects a similar trend in this cohort’s viewing of digital content, which has increased by 61%, with Smart TVs offering easy access to a range of online platforms.

Europe is seeing a similar trend: In Q3 2024, 76% of Internet users in the region reported owning a Smart TV, an increase of 25% over the past three years. This growth in coincides with a 25% rise in Smart TV viewing time between Q3 2021 and Q3 2024. However, European Internet users still dedicate a larger proportion of their viewing time to traditional broadcast TV channels, reflecting their strong appeal in the region. On average, they spend just under an hour per day watching content on Smart TV devices.