Nations in the MEAP (Middle East, Africa, Pakistan) region dominate other global regions in ownership of and interest in 3DTVs, according to a new study from The Nielsen Company.

“How We Watch” indicates that globally, 12% of online consumers own or have definite interest in purchasing a 3DTV. Interest and intent is highest amongst consumers ages 25-29.

MEAP, Latin America Most Interested
As mentioned above, MEAP is by far the region with the greatest 3DTV ownership/interest levels. MEAP has an ownership/definite interest index score of 200, meaning residents in MEAP nations are twice as likely as the global average to own or plan to buy a 3DTV. Latin America follows with an index score of 175.

There is a substantial dropoff in index scores after these two regions. Asia-Pacific ranks third with an index score of 100, meaning Asia-Pacific residents are as likely as the global average to own or plan to buy an HDTV. North America and Europe lag with index scores of 75, meaning residents there are 25% less likely to own or plan to buy an HDTV than the global average.

Top Seven Countries Follow Regional Pattern
Not surprisingly, the top seven countries of the 52 ranked by 3DTV ownership/interest index score are located in MEAP, Latin America or Asia-Pacific. Saudi Arabia leads all countries ranked with a score of 233, joined by fellow MEAP nations Egypt (tied for number two, 217) and Pakistan (number five, 200). Latin America has two countries in the top seven, Colombia and Venezuela (number two, 217), while Asia-Pacific has the sixth- and seventh-ranked countries (Vietnam, 192 and India, 183).

The first North American country on the index is Mexico, tied for seventh with India (183). The highest-ranked European country is Russia, 14th with a score of 125. The US comes in tied with Switzerland for the 27th-highest index score (75).

North America Leads HDTV Penetration
North America has the highest penetration of HDTVs of any major global region, according toother Nielsen study results. “How People Watch” indicates North America leads in the ownership of high-definition television sets. According to Nielsen analysis, dropping prices, a rapid onset of content and the adoption of Blu-ray players and next-generation video game consoles make North Americans 57% more likely than average to own an HDTV set, while consumers in Latin America and MEAP (Middle East, Africa and Pakistan) are 37% less likely to own one.

About the Data: Nielsen conducted a global online survey of 27,665 online consumers ages 15 and up in March 2010.

Download the report here.

Report description below.

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August 4, 2010

Video consumption across multiple platforms is now a global phenomenon. Consumers in all regions are proving their insatiable appetite for video information and entertainment – thus far adding screens to their media mix, not replacing them.

To get a better sense for how the world is watching video, today, Nielsen recently completed a survey of more than 27,000 online consumers in 55 countries, asking simple questions about how they watch video. Internet access still varies considerably by region, so the results of an online survey are not representative of the total global population, but show us how an important subset of the global population (the connected population) is consuming video across multiple platforms. The results from the survey, with corresponding syndicated Nielsen insights where available, were released today in a new report, “How People Watch – A Global Nielsen Consumer Report.”

“This report provides one of the broadest looks at how consumers watch video, to date,” says Matt O’Grady, who oversees the integration of Nielsen’s TV, online and mobile audience measurement. “The research reveals how connected consumers all over the world are expanding their video experience across screens.”

Key Findings

• Online Video: approximately 70% of global online consumers watch online video; but North Americans and Europeans lag in adoption. More than half of global online consumers watch online video in the workplace.
• Mobile Video: is already used by 11% of global online consumers: penetration is highest in Asia-Pacific and among consumers in their late 20s.
• Tablet PCs: are expanding the definition of mobile video. Globally, 11% of online consumers already own or plan to purchase a tablet PC (such as an iPad) in the next year.
• Television: is a universally important platform for video consumption, with connected consumers in many markets spending 4+ hours per day watching television.
• HDTV (High-Definition TV): is improving the TV viewing experience for as many as 30% of global online consumers. Adoption is highest among older consumers and in North America, where HD content has proliferated.
• 3DTV (Three-Dimensional TV): will have a small but important audience: 12% of global online consumers own or have definite intent to purchase a 3DTV in the next year.
• “Over the Top” TV: televisions with Internet connections are gaining interest. About one in five (22%) global online consumers owns or has definite interest in buying a television with Internet connection in the next year.

For the first time, this report identifies important differences in cross-platform video behavior by region and country:

• Claimed TV viewership is higher than average in the emerging BRIC economies, Brazil, Russia, India and China, and lower than average in many developed European markets
• North America and Europe appear to lag slightly behind other regions in the use of online and mobile video
• Connected consumers in Asia-Pacific are 45 percent more likely to use mobile video than the global average
• Claimed interest for Tablet PCs is highest in MEAP markets: Middle East, Africa and Pakistan. Connected Pakistanis are twice as likely as the global population to say they own or are interested in a Tablet PC.
• Connected Latin American consumers express above average interest in TVs with Internet connections. Online Consumers in Colombia, in particular, are very interested in acquiring this technology.