Apple's iTunes Player Climbs Streaming Media Charts - PC Time Tracks Broadband Penetration - US Broadband Penetration Jumps to 68% Among Active Internet Users

Web Site Optimization announced today that Podcasting is taking off, according to recent data from Nielsen//NetRatings and Apple. Unique users of Apple's iTunes player passed QuickTime in mid-2005, and at current growth rates iTunes should pass RealPlayer by mid-2006. People are tuning in over twice as long with iTunes than with RealPlayer or Windows Media Player. US broadband penetration jumped 1.33 percentage points in February 2006 to 68% among active Internet users. At current growth rates broadband penetration should break 70% in April of 2006.
For the full “March 2006 Bandwidth Report” visit http://www.websiteoptimization.com/bw/0603/

Apple's iTunes Player Climbs Streaming Media Charts

Despite its late entry into the streaming media arena, Apple's iTunes player is climbing the charts faster than its competitors. iTunes has eclipsed QuickTime in unique users, and should pass RealPlayer in mid-2006 at current growth rates. Only Microsoft's Windows Media Player will have more unique users than iTunes. In mid-2006 Microsoft's player will have about 80 million unique users, while iTunes will have just under 30 million (see Figure 1 and Table 1).
http://www.websiteoptimization.com/bw/0603/

iTunes is used over twice as long as its nearest rival RealPlayer (111 minutes versus 46.4 minutes per person, or 2.4 times as long). Besides iTunes, RealPlayer is the only other player surveyed to show growth in usage over the last three years. QuickTime and Windows Media Player are losing mindshare among users (see Figure 2). http://www.websiteoptimization.com/bw/0603/

PC Time Tracks Broadband Growth in US

As broadband penetration becomes more widespread, people are spending more time on their computers. Since February 2003, the average PC time per person among active Web users has increased by about five hours from 25 and a half hours a month to 30 and a half hours a month (see Figure 3). During the same time period broadband penetration has increased from 33% to 68% among active Internet users. "Faster response times result in more flow and less frustration, hooking users to stay online longer with their computers," said Andy King, President of Web Site Optimization, LLC.

Home Connectivity in the US

US broadband penetration grew to 68% in February 2006. Narrowband users (56Kbps or less) now comprise 32% of active Internet users, down 1.33 percentage points from 33.33% in January (see Figure 4).

Broadband Growth Trends in the US

In February 2006, broadband penetration in US homes rose 1.33 percentage points to 68% up from 66.67% in January. This increase of 1.33 points is higher than the average increase in broadband of 1.13 points per month over the last six months. At the current growth rate, broadband penetration among active Internet users in US homes should break 70% by April of 2006 (see Figure 5).

Work Connectivity

Most workers in the US enjoy high-speed connections to the Internet. Most use a high-speed line such as a T1 connection, and share bandwidth between computers connected to an Ethernet network. The speed of each connection decreases as more employees hook up to the LAN. As of February of 2006, of those connected to the Internet, 89.07% of US users at work enjoy a high-speed connection, up 1.09 percentage points from the 87.98% share in January. At work, 10.93% connect at 56Kbps or less (see Figure 6).

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About The Bandwidth Report

The Bandwidth Report is a monthly roundup of connectivity trends in the US and elsewhere. Each month's bandwidth report offers the latest statistics in Internet connectivity and broadband trends, including:

Home Connectivity in the US
Broadband Growth in the US
Work Connectivity
Broadband Trends in the US, Canada, and other countries

The March 2006 Bandwidth Report is available at:
http://www.websiteoptimization.com/bw/0603/

About Web Site Optimization

Don't Make Me Wait! The new book titled "Speed Up Your Site – Web Site Optimization" by Andy King, and the companion web site are about designing "speedy" web sites with techniques that…

Cut file size and download times in half
Speed up site load time to satisfy customers
Engage users with fast response times and flow stimulus
Increase usability, boost profits, and slash bandwidth costs
Improve search engine rankings and web page conversions

Andy King is also the founder of WebReference.com and JavaScript.com, both award-winning developer sites from internet.com. Created in 1995 and subsequently acquired by Mecklermedia (now Jupitermedia) in 1997, WebReference has grown into one of the most popular developer sites on the Internet. While he was Managing Editor of WebReference.com and JavaScript.com, Andy became the "Usability Czar" at internet.com, where he optimized the speed and usability of their sites. In addition to his consulting work, he continues to write the monthly Bandwidth Report and the “Speed Tweak of the Week” for www.websiteoptimization.com.