UK viewers are now watching more broadcaster television via apps than over the air, according to TiVo’s 2025 UK Video Trends Report.
The study says 52.7% of broadcaster TV consumption is through apps, with over-the-air viewing down to 48.3% (from 52.9% in 2024 and 61.2% in 2023), marking a tipping point in how audiences access BBC, ITV, Channel 4 and other PSB services.
According to the study, 64.2% of viewers use more than one app in a typical session and 48.6% find hopping between apps frustrating.
TiVo recently confirmed that the digital recorder that made its name is no more. Its focus is on its operating system for Smart TVs and associated advertising services.
Ad-supported streaming continues to climb. AVOD/FAST usage has reached 52.5% of UK viewers, up 10 percentage points year on year. Smart TV ownership stands at 80.9% (76.5% in 2024), with 19% of households planning a new set purchase before year-end – pointing to demand for integrated apps and simpler interfaces.
SVOD remains near-universal but more price-sensitive. TiVo reports 84.5% of respondents use at least one SVOD (up from 81%), with almost half now on ad tiers (up from 37% in 2024). Even so, 40.6% say they’re likely to cancel a service within six months (up six points), most commonly because they joined for a single programme (24.5%).
Local content continues to anchor behaviour: nearly three-quarters of daily viewing is UK-produced, including a growing slice of hyper-local programming worth roughly an hour a day. Viewing on the move is also trending up, with 34.2% watching video in-car (mainly on phones/tablets), compared with 30.5% a year ago.
Pay TV shows resilience amid churn. While 25% plan to “cut the cord” within six months, 31.3% of current Pay TV users have previously left and returned (27.7% in 2024), suggesting live/bundled offers retain value for convenience seekers.
Shoppable TV appetite is rising: 49.6% of consumers say they’re open to buying directly from the screen—an opportunity for broadcasters, platforms and retailers as addressable and commerce formats mature.
“As streaming options multiply, the challenge for viewers isn’t access, it’s finding what to watch easily,” said Stéphane David, Head of Content Partnerships & Business Development, EMEA at TiVo. “Audiences are asking for one experience that unites great content with tailored recommendations – that’s the content-first approach TiVo OS is built to deliver.”
The report is based on a Q2 2025 survey of 1,004 UK adults and covers viewing habits across SVOD, TVOD, AVOD/FAST, connected devices and discovery features, including personalised recommendations and search.
A TiVo webinar on the findings is scheduled for Tuesday 4 November at 15.00 GMT.
