In-Stat: Half of tablet owners viewing full-length movies and TV shows

Fifty percent of tablet owners view both feature-length films and television series on their device according to new data issued by In-Stat. The research firm adds that tablets and smartphones are not only emerging as screens for video consumption but also enabling video-centric social networking and personal interactions: Almost 50 percent of smartphone/tablet owners between the ages of 18 and 24 frequently social network about the TV programming they're currently viewing.

Projecting that 65 percent of the U.S. population will own a smartphone or tablet by 2015, In-Stat forecasts that frequent mobile video users will more than triple over the next five years, with 86 percent of all connected device users viewing video content. In addition, close to 60 percent of smartphone/tablet owners will also view over-the-top video at home.

"As these devices become a center-point for video engagement and consumption, content providers, device manufacturer, and operators need to support a multiscreen usage model that reflects social interaction, screen interaction, personalization, and mobility," said In-Stat research director Keith Nissen in a statement.

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