2025 EVOLUTION OF THE TV SET

With connected TVs at the center of the home entertainment universe, viewing time and engagement with those TVs has continued to grow.  Since last year, streaming video’s share of viewing via connected TVs increased 6 percentage points to 43.5% in February 2025 (according to Nielsen’s Gauge). Viewers are spending more time than ever with these connected TV sets, where choices are infinite but the user experience is as varied as ever.   Different TV operating systems deliver distinct user interfaces that users must navigate to get to the content they love – from the moment they turn on their set, to their efforts to find specific apps and shows, and how they are exposed to advertising and promotions throughout.   The absence of a uniform experience creates challenges for programmers to understand just how easily consumers are getting what they want in the easiest and most satisfying way possible.

The Evolution of the TV set has tracked current TV set experiences and preferences since 2019, bringing clarity to how viewers are navigating TV features and functions, how they find content, and how that impacts their overall TV attitudes. This study will continue to guide all stakeholders in the “TV value chain” (device manufacturers, content producers, content distributors, and advertising sellers and buyers) to improve the consumer TV experience and optimize TV features that add the most value.