YouTube is celebrating its 20th anniversary, and with that milestone comes another: TV usage has now surpassed mobile and desktop as the primary device for consumption.
In 2024, television overtook the “traditional” hierarchy of mobile and desktop viewing as the preferred method for users.
“The ‘new’ television doesn’t look like the ‘old’ television,” said YouTube CEO Neal Mohan. “It’s interactive and includes things like Shorts (yes, people watch them on TVs), podcasts, and live streams, right alongside the sports, sitcoms, and talk shows people already love.”
“Our growth on connected TVs is also attracting new advertisers and we continue to introduce formats that work particularly well on the big screen, like QR codes and pause ads,” he later added.
On average, viewers are watching more than 1 billion hours of YouTube content on TVs daily. That coincides with YouTube TV surpassing 8 million subscribers, while YouTube Music & Premium have amassed more than 100 million subscribers, including trials.
“With innovative features, diverse content, and growing subscription services, we’re defining the television experience for a new generation,” concluded Mahan.
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