TiVo, a wholly owned subsidiary of entertainment technology company Xperi, has released its 2025 TiVo UK Video Trends Report, calling for established broadcasters to keep innovating to meet UK audience’s evolving digital habits. For the first time, the report reveals more than half (52.7 per cent) of broadcaster television content is being watched via apps rather than traditional over-the-air transmission (48.3 per cent now over-the-air, down from 52.9 per cent last year and 61.2 per cent in 2023) – marking a major shift in how audiences access and engage with major UK TV channels.

This milestone comes as the UK’s television landscape undergoes major change, with evolving TV licence models, Ofcom Media Act regulations rolling out and the longer-term transition away from DTT on the horizon. Established broadcasters (e.g. BBC iPlayer, Channel 4 or ITVX) are captivating almost a third of daily UK viewing already but need to keep audiences entertained with choice and convenience. Almost two thirds (64.2 per cent) of UK viewers use more than one app in a typical viewing session and nearly half (48.6 per cent) find the process frustrating.

Meanwhile, free, ad-supported AVoD/FAST services (e.g., Pluto TV, Tubi) continue a rapid ascent, with 52.5 per cent of UK viewers now using them, a 10 per cent year-on-year increase. Complementing this, Smart TV ownership has climbed to 80.9 per cent (up from 76.5 per cent in 2024), and nearly one in five households (19 per cent) plan to purchase a new Smart TV before the end of the year, indicating that consumers increasingly value built-in streaming apps, user-friendly interfaces and connected ecosystems.

“As streaming options multiply, the challenge for viewers isn’t access to content, it’s finding what to watch easily,” said Stéphane David, Head of Content Partnerships & Business Development, EMEA at TiVo. “Our UK research shows audiences are increasingly frustrated with jumping between apps. They’re asking for simplicity, one experience that unites great content with tailored, relevant recommendations. That’s the content-first experience TiVo OS delivers. It brings together streaming, live TV, and sport in a single, intuitive interface, powered by AI-driven personalisation to help viewers spend less time searching and more time watching what they love.”

Additional 2025 TiVo Video Trends Report: UK Highlights:

• SVoD habits shift amid cost pressures: 84.5 per cent of respondents use at least one SVoD service such as Netflix and Prime Video (up from 81 per cent in 2024), with nearly half now subscribing to ad-supported tiers (up from 37 per cent in 2024). Although, 40.6 per cent say they’re likely to cancel an SVoD service within the next six months (increasing 6 per cent from 2024), with the most common reason that they only subscribed to watch a specific programme (24.5 per cent), showing the need to keep audiences engaged with additional relevant content.
• Local content is a powerful draw: Nearly 75 per cent of daily content consumed is UK-produced, including a growing share of hyper-local programming that makes up about an hour of viewing every day.
• In-car video viewing continues to rise: 34.2 per cent of respondents now watch video in-car (up from 30.5 per cent in 2024), mostly on smartphones or tablets, signalling how mobility is becoming a new frontier for video consumption. 
• Pay-TV remains resilient: 25 per cent of viewers plan to cut the cord within six months, but 31.3 per cent of current pay-TV users have previously unsubscribed and later rejoined (up from 27.7 per cent in 2024), showing that live and bundled content continues to hold value for those seeking convenience and comprehensive access.
• Ready to shop from the sofa: Almost half (49.6 per cent) of UK consumers are open to buying something directly from the TV screen, opening new revenue and brand loyalty opportunities for advertisers and retailers.  

Find more information from the 2025 UK TiVo Video Trends Report here.

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Categories: Articles, Broadcast, Catch Up, Consumer Behaviour, FTA, OTT, Pay TV, Research, VOD

Tags: BBC, Channel 4, ITVX, TiVo, UK