Apple TV holds just 2% of streaming device market, report says

Apple holds just 2% of the global streaming device market, according to new data that analyzes the smart TV and set-top box industry.

The only streaming device that Apple markets is the Apple TV set-top box. Although Apple has routinely updated the device, it has never hit mainstream success compared to rivals.

That's reflected in streaming industry data published Wednesday by Strategy Analytics. The numbers show TV manufacturers hold the top position, with Samsung taking a 14% share of the market. The South Korea tech giant is followed closely by Sony and LG with 12% and 8% of the market, respectively.

It's worth noting that the numbers include set-top boxes, streaming sticks, gaming consoles, and smart TVs. Across the board, there are 1.14 billion streaming devices in use, Strategy Analytics reported.

More than Apple's small slice of the market, the data illustrates just how fragmented the streaming device industry really is. The company with the largest stake is Samsung, with only 14%.

"Over-the-top TV and video streaming to the TV is a complex and evolving landscape compared to mobile devices, where only two platforms dominate," said David Watkins, director at Strategy Analytics.

Alongside Apple, other streaming device makers with similar market shares include Amazon with 5%, Microsoft with 4%, and Roku with 3%.

When it came to the leading software platforms, Samsung's Tizen OS led the way with 11%, followed by LG's webOS and Sony's PlayStation. Apple's tvOS isn't even included in these numbers, instead falling under the "Other" category that occupies 49% of the market.

Apple will release a new update to its Apple TV operating system, tvOS 14, in the fall. It will feature deeper integration with HomeKit, better support for picture-in-picture mode, and other incremental features.

On Tuesday, Bloomberg reported that a new generation of the Apple TV hardware could arrive in 2021 with a faster processor and new "Find My Remote" feature.

56 Comments

aderutter 622 comments · 17 Years

About 4 years ago

AppleTV needs to be able to run iOS games with a controller. If I have PUBG on my iPad and a DualShock 4 Controller I should be able to download it to an AppleTV and play it from there on my TV. I assume that’s not a current option.

Beats 3073 comments · 4 Years

Embarassing.

When Steve Jobs announced Apple TV it was revolutionary, a game changer, the future of TV. Nowadays with lame full version updates which look more like an excuse than a full update, gens ago hardware and no up-to-date features, poor piece of hardware is not getting the treatment it deserves

slurpy 5388 comments · 15 Years

"It's worth noting that the numbers include set-top boxes, streaming sticks, gaming consoles, and smart TVs. Across the board, there are 1.14 billion streaming devices in use, Strategy Analytics reported."

lol. What an idiotic sample. Pretty much every single TV these days is a streaming device, so they pit Apple against actual TVs to get to that 2%? Also, this isn't that relevant, since the Apple TV app is now on almost all new TVs as well.

chasm 3595 comments · 10 Years

To Aderutter: As I'm sure you're aware, the DualShock 4 Controller is supported. PUBG isn't on the tvOS App Store not because of its inability to handle it -- since it handles games with more complex graphics than that -- but due to a decision by the developer not to offer it there. So you should probably take that up with the developer.

That said, there are rumours of a new model with beefier graphics (specifically for the games) coming in the not-too-distant-future, so you may get your wish this fall. Let's hope!

To Beats: yes, you're embarrassing.

You're correct that the Apple TV 4K has not been updated with newer hardware in quite a while. But Steve (and Tim) were completely correct about the future of TV being apps. See above about a possible new hardware refresh, but seriously -- are you under the delusion that Apple can magically and remotely upgrade the hardware from afar? The machine Steve Jobs introduced all the way through the current model were intended to support the "TV as apps" concept, and they support that beautifully. Apple TV 4K has (industry rated) THE BEST support for the latest video standards, Apple TV+ has the highest bitrate streaming, it offers services that other boxen may not have, and of course it has THE best security and privacy of any of the boxen, ZERO injected ads, and while the notion of it as a faux-console came very late in the day, the company has admirably tried to accommodate that despite it being absolutely NOT the focus or design intent of the device.

Perhaps the new model -- or some future other device -- will stuff a full-on console into the box. I certainly would like to play some of my fave iOS games on my Apple TV, and thanks to Apple Arcade I do get some of them that way (and it works fine on the current hardware). If you have an Apple TV 4K, maybe try some of the Arcade games with your controller -- and then write a note to the makers of PUBG and ask them when they will support it on Apple TV.

slurpy said:

"It's worth noting that the numbers include set-top boxes, streaming sticks, gaming consoles, and smart TVs. Across the board, there are 1.14 billion streaming devices in use, Strategy Analytics reported."

lol. What an idiotic sample. Pretty much every single TV these days is a streaming device, so they pit Apple against actual TVs to get to that 2%? Also, this isn't that relevant, since the Apple TV app is now on almost all new TVs as well.

With that in mind Nintendo, Sony and Apple held the top 3 spots a decade ago. Apple has definitely fallen.

Still it is unfair as Roku gets a lot of share even if people don't use their TVs built-in service.