Smart TVs offer all the video streaming services you could want, but many people still plug in an external streaming device. A study claims that more than half of smart TV users hook it up to a streaming box or dongle, flatpanelshd reports.
Hub Entertainment Research surveyed respondents aged 16 to 74. It found that a lot of people also used a device like the Amazon Fire TV Stick 4K, Apple TV 4K, or Chromecast with Google TV because certain streaming services weren't available directly through their smart TV.
Three-quarters of respondents also say they use their smart TV or streaming box for non-video usage. The most popular of these is music or audio, through services like Spotify, Tidal, Amazon Music and Apple Music.
Of course, there are more reasons pushing users to shell out for an external streaming device. These often have more powerful processors that can be dedicated to tasks like gaming – the recently unveiled Apple TV 4K (2022) features the same A15 Bionic processor as the iPhone 14, for example.
Streaming apps on devices can also support different audio and video formats, wireless audio platforms, cast systems like Apple AirPlay 2 and Google Chromecast, fitness apps like Peloton and Apple Fitness, smart home integration, multi-user support (with user profiles), and have space to store downloads like movies and albums.
Do you plug a streaming device into your smart TV? Which one and why? Let us know in the comments below.
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