MUMBAI: As popular internet search giants Google and Yahoo! expand into the television content arena, they'll find welcome fans among America's consumers.
According to new research from Points North Group and Horowitz Associates, Inc., one-third of internet users are interested in Google Video and 41 per cent are interested in Yahoo! Go, both of which are new video-oriented services. The online survey probed interest levels by having respondents read a description of each service.
"The early level of consumer interest shows solid potential for the Google and Yahoo! video services," said Points North Group senior analyst Craig Leddy.
Interest in the two services is significantly higher among Internet users aged 18-34: with 54 per cent interested in Yahoo! Go and 46 per cent interested in Google Video.
When asked about what type of devices they would like to use with Google Video, 22 per cent said their computer or laptop, 20 per cent said the TV, four per cent selected an iPod or related entertainment device, and three per cent said a cell phone or PDA. For Yahoo! Go, the responses were 31 per cent for computer/laptop, 14 per cent TV, 10 per cent cell phone or PDA, and five per cent iPod or similar device. Respondents could select more than one device.
Google Video allows internet users to download replays of TV shows, including prime-time hits like CSI and classics such as The Brady Bunch, for $1.99 per episode. Yahoo! Go enables users to access information and entertainment stored on Yahoo! from any device that can connect to the Internet.
The findings are based upon an independent online survey of 500 consumers.
