YouTube is the new TV, time to move on cable

Streaming TV has come to stay, just accept it Comcast. Obviously online on-demand services like Netflix are hugely popular but YouTube might be an even bigger player if it manages to combine the on-demand side of things with live TV.

According to new figures from the parent company Alphabet, YouTube is watched more than 100 million hours every day. And maybe even more importantly, way more people are watching it via their TV sets.

The use of TV when watching YouTube has increased around 70 percent since last year. This includes all TV devices that are somehow connected to the internet, be it a smart TV with a YouTube app or a dumber one with a Chromecast dongle or an Apple TV.

Earlier this year Google announced that YouTube is being watched a billion hours every day. That means that watching on TV is grabbing a fairly nice slice of the entire YouTube watching pie. Obviously computers and probably especially mobile is still where it's still at.

As internet based solutions are grabbing marketshare cable companies are fighting back by raising prices. At the same time Google has been improving their Google Fiber availability with the first location without TV subscription and supporting YouTube TV.

YouTube doesn't reveal the numbers of its subscription services which include YouTube Red as well as YouTube TV, a new live TV service for cable-cutters that features recording capabilities.

Clearly there's a bigger fight brewing that is about to get dirty in the coming years. One piece of that are the advertisers with whom YouTube has had some major problems recently. One has to think, though, that as the online viewers increase, the advertisers will come along naturally.

However, it remains to see how all this unfolds.

Written by: Matti Robinson @ 27 Oct 2017 12:16

8686

Where I live Cablevision has a monopoly. I pay about 150 a month and that's with the promo. I tried YouTube TV for a month and that was great! The only problem is that I hated fiddling with the chrome cast. If YouTube TV app comes to the Roku, Xbox, PS4, etc. then I will be all in. My ISP will jack up the Internet price to $50 a month and YouTube TV is $35 a month so it's still not perfect but it's much better. These cable companies will be OK because people need Internet for all these streaming services.

28.10.2017 15:13 #1

sandyl

"The use of TV when watching YouTube has increased around 70 percent since last year. This includes all TV devices that are somehow connected to the internet, be it a smart TV with a YouTube app or a dumber one with a Chromecast dongle or an Apple TV."

WHO NEEDS a smart TV with a YouTube app or a dumber one with a Chromecast dongle or an Apple TV?

All you need is an hdmi port on your PC and and your TV and an hdmi cable to connect them.

28.10.2017 15:35 #2

rich5544

What we really need is to get rid of Comcast and find some high speed competition.Comcast is the biggest rip off of all, but what is the alternative. If they lose tv subscriptions, they just raise the internet cost. Sucks

28.10.2017 18:41 #3

Tarsellis

Originally posted by rich5544: What we really need is to get rid of Comcast and find some high speed competition.Comcast is the biggest rip off of all, but what is the alternative. If they lose tv subscriptions, they just raise the internet cost. Sucks Welcome to the wonderful world of government enforced monopolies. Comcast lobbies the state, the state blocks any competition, you get screwed by the "representative" you elected to represent the lobbyist paying their bills, not your vote.

Invest in America, buy a congressman.

30.10.2017 12:09 #4

g_slide

I no longer watch my cable TV or Netflix. All I do for the past several years is watch YouTube videos through my TV using my Roku device. I watch a lot of how to videos to educate myself on installing car parts, electronics, about anything.

I do still subscribe to cable because I need high-speed internet and want the discount package and keeping Netflix because the wife would kill me if I cancelled.

Also Roku has had an app for awhile for Spectrum Cable and I don't even need to pay monthly for a cable box. I just use my Roku device to watch Cable TV if I want to.

I rather not use a Smart TV because companies like Netflix does not update their UI often on those TVs after it has been out for over a year. I rather use a device like Roku, Apple TV, Chromecast, etc. to access those programs. I really like my Roku devices and owned the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd gens... waiting for 5th gen to come out as I bypassed the 4th gen.

7.11.2017 21:18 #5

8686

Originally posted by g_slide:
Also Roku has had an app for awhile for Spectrum Cable and I don't even need to pay monthly for a cable box. I just use my Roku device to watch Cable TV if I want to.

Interesting. I never thought about ditching the cable box for the network apps. But not every network has an app right? I'd be joining you in that grave if my wife didn't have access to Bravo! And, what about the DVR functionality?

8.11.2017 15:53 #6

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