TV viewing habits are shifting as the ecosystem becomes increasingly fragmented. While total viewing time is climbing– reaching an average of 22.3 hours per week in Q1 2026– how and where audiences engage is becoming more nuanced.
The latest insights from our Q1 2026 Market Trends Report also notes that we are living in a streaming-first reality. Streaming now commands 58.6% of all viewing time, while traditional cable/satellite usage continues to decline. Over half (50.2%) of smart TVs are now "streaming-first," either exclusively using streaming apps or pairing them with vMVPD services.
Some other key takeaways when we looked back at the quarter:
- Weakening App Loyalty: While consumers are watching more, they are experimenting with more apps. "Anchor apps" saw yearly lows in usage and viewing time share, while churn rates hit record levels, suggesting audiences are rotating through services faster than ever.
- Traditional Inputs Hold Ground in Live Categories: Despite the overall shift to streaming, traditional linear TV remains essential for live events. Cable/satellite/OTA still accounts for over 66% of sports viewing, and it continues to fuel the most growth in news consumption.
- The Sports Paradox: While average watch-time for major leagues like the NFL and NBA saw slight declines, overall reach increased. This highlights a trend where more households are tuning in, even if they aren't spending as much time per session compared to the previous year.
For advertisers and app developers, the data signals that while streaming dominates the attention economy, success in this fluid environment requires a balance between broad scale and adaptability across increasingly specific viewing behaviors.
The Inscape TV Market Trends Q1 2026 Report was generated using smart TV data from Incape’s panel of over 27 million opted-in devices* from January to March of 2026.
*active within the past 365 days
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