YouTube is projected to be the top over-the-top video service provider this year -- and five years from now -- in terms of monthly users. But Netflix is gaining on the Google video platform.
For
2015, eMarketer projects that YouTube will have some 170.7 million monthly users compared to Netflix's 114.3 million. YouTube’s growth rate this year over 2014 will be 4.4%; Netflix, 20.4%.
Amazon comes next with 65.2 million, followed by Hulu at 59.9 million. Hulu is growing at a 16.2% clip, while Amazon is growing at 13.5%.
Research reveals that YouTube has a U.S. OTT video
user penetration of 94.3%, while Netflix has 63.2%; Amazon, 36.0%; and Hulu, 33.1%
Looking at five years down the road, in 2019, eMarketer says YouTube will hit 187.8 million monthly users in
2019; Netflix, 143 million; Amazon, 88.6 million; and Hulu, 82.2 million.
The study by eMarketer says OTT viewing is not limited to consumers with a smart TV or set-top box device, but
includes PCs and other Internet-connected devices. It says the connected TV audience will reach 140.5 million this year, with the largest share of connected TV users -- 36.8% -- coming from a gaming
console.
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