The 2025 TiVo UK Video Trends Report reveals more than half of broadcaster TV content is being watched via apps for the first time, with 52.7 per cent of viewers now choosing the method over traditional over-the-air transmission.
Marking what the report calls a “major shift” in audience engagement, the split shows a clear direction in travel, with 48.3 per cent watching over-the-air, down from 52.9 per cent in 2024 and 61.2 per cent the year before.
Against a backdrop of evolving TV licence models, Ofcom Media Act regulations and the longer-term transition away from digital terrestrial television, established broadcasters such as the BBC, ITV and Channel 4 are capturing almost a third of daily UK viewing. However, the report finds 64.2 per cent use more than one app in a typical session, with almost half (48.6 per cent) finding the process frustrating.
The report highlights a 10 per cent year-on-year increase in AVoD/FAST services with 52.5 per cent of UK viewers using them. Smart TV ownership has risen to 80.9 per cent with almost one in five households planning to purchase a new Smart TV by the end of 2025, indicating the perceived value of built-in streaming apps and connected ecosystems.
Commenting, Stéphane David, head of content partnerships and business development, EMEA at TiVo, said, “As streaming options multiply, the challenge for viewers isn’t access to content, it’s finding what to watch easily. Our UK research shows audiences are increasingly frustrated with jumping between apps. They’re asking for simplicity, one experience that unites great content with tailored, relevant recommendations. That’s the content-first experience TiVo OS delivers. It brings together streaming, live TV, and sport in a single, intuitive interface, powered by AI-driven personalisation to help viewers spend less time searching and more time watching what they love.”
The report also reveals 84.5 per cent of respondents use at least one SVoD service (up from 81 per cent in 2024), with nearly half now subscribing to ad-supported tiers (up from 37 per cent in 2024).
However, 40.6 per cent say they’re likely to cancel an SVoD service within the next six months (up 6 per cent from 2024), with the most common reason that they only subscribed to watch a specific programme (24.5 per cent).
The Q2 2025 TiVo UK Video Trends Report surveyed 1,004 over-18s living in the UK during the second quarter of 2025.
