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The halcyon days of water cooler discussion about the previous night of television are long gone. They were replaced by the immediacy of the Internet. Today, television viewers have turned the watching of their favorite programs into a communal experience.
Thanks to the advancement of Second Screen technology, people can share their thoughts and opinions about an episode instantly via email, text, and social media. They no longer wait until the following morning to talk specifics and, in fact, don't even wait until an episode is over.
Research indicates that four out of ten adults use Second Screen during broadcasts, and the behavior is most popular among women between the ages of 13 and 34. Families in particular employ Second Screen as a means of sharing the family television. Almost 70 percent of people with children under 18 use technologies such as laptops, desktops, and smart devices as interactive tools during a broadcast.
Studies show that roughly one in three people choose a laptop, currently the most popular Second Screen option. Smartphones are quickly gaining in popularity, though. Approximately one in four people favor popular cellphones such as T-Mobile's Galaxy S6 Edge, a staggering increase from just a few years ago. The slight size of smart devices makes them the perfect Second Screen option.
The most popular Second Screen usage is email, but surfing the web is almost as popular. Many viewers enjoy the practice of trying to identify how they know actors making guest appearances on their favorite series. Over half of Second Screen behavior involves texting, another trend that is exploding in popularity as Millennials grow older. Not all Second Screen usage is related to what the user is watching on TV, especially during commercials, but television producers are bucking this trend through synchronized Second Screen advertising.
The evolving nature of television consumption has led to the exploding popularity of Second Screen viewing. Read the accompanying infographic for more interesting information.
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