Media multitasking is no longer confined to younger viewers, with new Omdia research showing sharp growth in mobile video viewing alongside television among older age groups in the United States.
According to the research, 52% of viewers aged 45-54 watched video clips on their mobile phones while watching TV in November 2025, up from 39% in November 2022. Among those aged 55-64, the figure rose to 35% from 20% over the same period.
Maria Rua Aguete, senior research director at Omdia, said the findings point to a significant shift in viewing behaviour as second-screen consumption becomes more mainstream.
“Media multitasking is no longer something that happens only among under-34s. Today, more than half of viewers aged 45-54 are watching videos on their phones while watching TV. This is a fundamental shift in how audiences consume content.”
While younger audiences remain the most active multitaskers, growth in those segments has been limited. Among 18-24-year-olds, the proportion rose from 61% in 2022 to 63% in 2025, while among 25-34-year-olds it edged up from 60% to 61%.
By contrast, Omdia said the fastest growth is now coming from older viewers, underlining how mobile second-screen habits have expanded well beyond Gen Z and younger millennials.
Rua Aguete said: “The biggest change is not among Gen Z – it’s among viewers aged 45 and over. Multitasking has moved into the mainstream. Audiences increasingly split their attention across multiple screens, which reflects shorter attention spans and the constant pull of mobile platforms.”
The findings have important implications for broadcasters, streamers and advertisers as they adapt to increasingly fragmented audience attention.
Omdia said success will increasingly depend on building content, marketing and engagement strategies that extend beyond the main TV screen and take account of the simultaneous use of mobile video, social media and short-form content.
“TV is no longer a single-screen experience,” Rua Aguete added.
