COVID-19 Accelerated Media and Technology Adoption for Chinese Consumers

HONG KONG, Aug. 13, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the adoption of existing digital trends in China, such as increased over-the-top ("OTT") video viewing, active social media and e-commerce engagement, and high interest in 5G technologies, according to the latest survey conducted by Kagan, a media research group within S&P Global Market Intelligence.

Fielded in June this year, Kagan's 2020 Asia Consumer Insights Survey features responses from more than 1,000 adult internet-users in China on the use of internet-connected devices, online digital entertainment services and related customer behaviour.

"COVID-19 will continue to drive the rapid adoption of digital technologies in China," said Julber Osio, Associate Research Analyst for Kagan, S&P Global Market Intelligence. "Digital transformation will undoubtedly play an important role throughout the pandemic outbreak and beyond the recovery. More companies are aligning and shifting their digital efforts towards growing customer expectations."

Highlights from the 2020 Asia Consumer Insights Survey include:

Entertainment

    --  Live TV, video watching increased: 67% of adult internet users in China
        reported spending more time watching live TV during the COVID-19 crisis
        while 56% spent more time watching OTT video.
    --  iQiyi and Tencent Video remained dominant in OTT video, but smaller OTT
        players like UUSee were the biggest winners with a higher proportion of
        new users during and after COVID-19 restrictions.
    --  People are not eager to return to cinemas as only 16% of respondents
        expressed willingness to spend again on movie theatres immediately after
        lifting of COVID-19 restrictions.

Social Media, Super Apps

    --  Social media use surged: 66% of adult internet users in China reported
        spending more time in social media.
    --  WeChat (97%) and Alipay (95%) were the most popular "super apps," or
        one-stop apps that offer multiple services through mini-programs or
        mini-apps.
    --  Mobile payments emerged as the most popular activity among super app
        users (87%), followed by booking services such as grooming, pet
        services, medical appointment, etc. (78%).

E-commerce

    --  66% of respondents reported that they spent more time shopping online.
    --  68% of respondents used their smartphones for online shopping in the
        past three months, which was a big jump from just 55% in 2018.

Connected Devices

    --  IPTV and Mobile TV subscribers are increasing, with 45% and 33% of
        respondents indicating subscribing to the services, respectively.
    --  Android smartphone users on the rise and reached 86%, while Apple iPhone
        ownership slightly fell to 34%.

5G and other new technologies

    --  93% of wired internet users in China expressed interest in replacing
        their home internet service with wireless 5G.
    --  Among Internet of Things ("IoT") applications that we surveyed, home
        security system got the highest net interest rate (89%). Driverless or
        autonomous cars got the least reported ownership (2%) but net interest
        remains high (81%).
    --  76% of respondents expressed concerns about their personal data being
        collected and compromised through IoT connections.

To access additional survey findings, please contact Vivian.Liu@spglobal.com.

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Media Contact
Vivian Liu
S&P Global | Market Intelligence
+852 9179 1132
Vivian.Liu@spglobal.com

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SOURCE S&P Global