Over 58 per cent of video plays occurred on mobile devices globally in the third quarter of 2017, new research by Ooyala has revealed.

According to the video technology company’s Q3 2017 Global Video Index, this represents the sixth consecutive quarter in which mobile devices accounted for more than half of all online video starts, with mobile video starts growing 11.9 per cent in the third quarter of this year compared to the previous corresponding period in 2016.

Moreover, Ooyala forecasts that more than 60 per cent of all video plays will be on mobile devices within the first half of 2018.

The index found that the use of mobile devices to view long-form video continues to grow dramatically.

The amount of time watching long-form grew nearly 77 per cent on smartphones and nearly 70 per cent for tablets in the third quarter of 2017 compared to 2016, while medium-form video consumption continued to decline.

Global sports a key driver of mobile adoption

In a key finding with broader implications for the sports industry, more consumers are gravitating to mobile devices for viewing sporting events.

According to Ooyala’s global study, mobile devices dominated online sports viewing, capturing nearly 58 per cent of users.

Smartphones drew the largest segment, with more than 46 per cent of users, while tablet attracted more than 11 per cent.

Other key findings

• 18 to 49-year-old males tend to be the largest adopters of online video via smartphones.
• Video was played on smartphones four times more than tablets, setting a record high in July with 51.1 per cent of all plays.
• Mobile accounted for nearly 63 per cent of all sports video plays in the third quarter of 2017, with viewing on smartphones above 50 per cent and tablets at 12 per cent. PCs make up 35 per cent of plays, and connected TVs just less than 3 per cent.
• Mobile devices accounted for nearly two-thirds of all viewers of geo-blocked sporting events. Smartphones remained the device of choice, attracting more than 51 per cent of users.
• In the Asia-Pacific region, 64.4 per cent of all video plays are on mobile devices – the highest in the world, and a 24 per cent increase from a year ago.