Earlier this week, the Nielsen media research company posted a breakdown of Netflix and Hulu devices by usage. Though the PC is far and away the most common Hulu platform, the Netflix numbers are a tad more surprising.
While 42% of all Netflix customers use the PC, 12% use the Xbox 360, 13% use the PS3, and 25% use the Wii. Yes, you heard that correctly. The gaming console that lacks high definition and surround sound output is the most popular non-PC way to stream Netflix.
I know a few people who would shake their head at this statistic, but I personally don’t see it as some poor misfortune. I offered my positive impressions of the Wii’s service when it launched last spring, and since then, it has only improved. Obviously, the greater number of households that own a Wii over a PS3 or 360 means that the Wii would be used more, but at least these people aren’t getting some half-assed, crippled service like some would have you believe.
Also, I’d like to point out a report from earlier this year stating that the PS3 leads bandwidth usage as the Wii trails. This doesn’t contradict the new information when you realize that HD vs. SD streaming would be the primary culprit behind bandwidth consumption.
What Netflix and Hulu Users are Watching… and How [Nielsen Wire]