The internet will soon become the main station for home entertainment in Europe, surpassing TV, according to a new report from Microsoft.
The report, called 'Europe logs on: internet trends of today and tomorrow', forecasts that by June 2010, internet consumption will average 14.2 hours per week, or over 2.5 days a month, compared to 11.5 hours a week of TV, or 2 days a month.
By 2013, internet access will average 14.2 hours per week against 11.5 hours for traditional TV channels, Microsoft added.
For some 18-24 year olds the PC is often the only TV screen while for others it can be a second or third screen. To the current generation, TV frequently means video delivered on demand, with one in seven 18-24 year olds now watching no live TV at all, according to the study.
The report covered Italy, France, Spain, Germany, the UK, Belgium, Austria, Switzerland, Denmark, Sweden, Netherlands, Finland, Norway Turkey, Gibraltar, Cyprus and Greece.
Microsoft goes on the predict the decline of the PC, predicting that in four years’ time net access from PCs will drop from 95 per cent to 50 per cent as consumers get their web access from web-enabled TV sets, mobile phones and games consoles instead.
The research goes on to predict that 76 per cent of phones will have video capabilities by 2013, up from 31 per cent in 2008. Nearly one-third (30 per cent) of all mobile phone users in 2013 will watch some sort of video on their handsets, the report asserts.
The study indicates that nearly half of Europeans now have an internet connection and people spent almost nine hours per week using the web in 2008, up 27 per cent from 2004. This is more time than they spent reading print media, watching movies offline or playing video games.
Northern Europe has an internet penetration rate of 76 per cent on average compared to 45 per cent in Southern Europe, the report found.
Microsoft also forecasts the rise of the ‘3D internet’, where 'consumers are able to virtually experience a holiday resort before they book, students will be able to attend virtual lectures and shoppers will be able to see how an armchair would look in their living room before they buy it.'
John Mangelaars, vice president of Microsoft consumer and online, EMEA, said: "The three screens -- TV, mobile and PC will remain the most important media and technology in our lives.
"While today the experience is fragmented across multiple media devices and environments -- from the living room television to the bedroom PC to the portable music player and mobile phone -- in future, software from Microsoft and others will enable connected, integrated entertainment experiences."
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