Out of seven countries surveyed as part of the Limelight Networks’ ‘State of Digital Downloads’ report 2017, India came on top for preference to downloaded music over other content online.
We have always known it, but now it is clear as a morning raga by M S Subbulakshmi: Indians love their music online. In fact, out of seven countries surveyed as part of the Limelight Networks’ ‘State of Digital Downloads’ report 2017, India came on top for preference to downloaded music over other content online.
Not surprisingly, the report found that only 4.2 per cent Indian respondents still rented or purchased DVDs of movies and TV shows, and only 23.4 per cent prefer hard copies of books or traditional print media. But 89.4 per cent of them stream or download TV shows and movies, while 62.2 per cent download books, newspapers, and magazines. But Indians still prefer to download music and not stream like in other countries.
Michael Milligan, Senior Director, Product and Solution Marketing, Limelight Networks said India has revealed some of the most interesting trends during the course of the survey. “Our report indicates that this high-potential country, which is gradually gaining centre-stage in the global forefront, contradicts global trends on many accounts and has its own unique preferences and consumption patterns. It therefore needs a similar, unconventional method on the part of service providers to tap its burgeoning digital market.”
However, there is a move towards the app economy as well. More than half the Indian respondents said they download more applications and upgrades now compared to last year. Still about 42 per cent of them were frustrated by disrupted downloading, which forces them to start all over again.
However, they are also cost conscious and 66.7 per cent said they would only download an application if it’s free. The number was 63.3 per cent when it came to music. But they are more open to paying for movies and TV shows, with 34.6 per cent willing to pay for quality content.
Interestingly, the Internet of Things (IoT) hype hasn’t really moved India and only a quarter of the respondents plan to purchase a device like the Amazon Alexa or Google Home Assistant.
The report was based on a survey of 3,500 consumers ranging in age, gender, and education in France, Germany, India, Japan, Korea, the UK, and the US.
