Boomers Don’t Download Videos: Survey

Boomers don’t dig downloading videos, but more of them are playing video games these days.

That’s part of what’s indicated in an online survey conducted recently by ABI Research to provide a snapshot of who’s watching video through what media.

Downloading Web video is only very popular with consumers under age 30, the survey said. And thirtysomethings are four times more likely to have watched video on their wireless handsets than are fiftysomethings.

“The lack of wide video download popularity in all but the youngest group can very likely be attributed to inconsistencies in the process, a result of the industry’s immaturity,” said ABI principal analyst Steve Wilson,  in a statement.

The disparity in video on demand usage is just as polarized. Among respondents over 65, 65% had never watched anything via VOD; among twentysomethings, 30% hadn’t sampled VOD. ABI further reports that between 40% and 45% of those who have tried VOD continue to use it at least once monthly.

While video game consoles showed no growth in penetration among 18-to-25-year-olds, there has been a 200% rise in game console penetration among consumers aged 65 and older.

The survey was conducted in March by ABI, which queried 1,002 video consumers on their viewing preferences and activities.  Full survey results are online.