Report: Roku Beats Out Apple TV In U.S. Media Streaming

Of all the media-streaming households in the U.S., 44% of them use Roku as their primary streaming device, a new report suggests.

A study conducted by market research firm Parks Associates shows Apple TV lags behind at 26%, while Netgear, Sony, Google TV and WD TV make up the remaining 30%.

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The percent of households using Roku has gone up by 7% in the past year. Part of the upward shift is due to an increased awareness of media streaming as a viable alternative to traditional TV, Parks Associates analyst Barbara Kraus told Mashable.

The preference of Roku over Apple TV largely has to do with brand image, according to Kraus. Because Roku created the first Netflix-streaming player, users are more inclined to identify media-streaming with that particular brand.

"It's been more associated with Netflix, whereas Apple is still more associated with iTunes," Kraus said.

"Consumers like that all-you-can-eat approach."

Although it would seem logical for iPhone and iPad owners to also buy into Apple TV, this is not the case. Apple TV has historically been under-promoted and therefore not as much of a commodity: The device constitutes less than 1% of Apple's total revenue.

However, Kraus believes Apple TV can rebound from its second-place standing. Now that Google and Amazon have thrown their hats in the media-streaming ring, the potential for Apple to step up its game is ripe.

"It's going to be a very competitive market," Kraus said.

The report also noted that 25% of U.S. households will own a streaming device by 2015.

Posted By : Gizmeon