This season’s football World Cup is proving to be the most accessible in the tournament’s history, with broadcast and streaming services available on up to 5.9 billion screens globally, according to technology research company Ovum.

PCs, tablets, and smartphones are now at the tipping point, providing alternatives to conventional media consumption and accounting for 57% of all screens being used to consume the event.

Connected devices are playing a crucial role in evolving viewing habits for big-event media

“Devices capable of streaming live and on-demand video – of which there now 4.7 billion – are providing additional viewing opportunities outside the appointment viewing taking place in people’s living rooms,” says Ovum senior analyst Ted Hall. “With the likes of tablets providing the convenience and flexibility to consume content whenever and wherever, fans are able to watch more of the tournament than ever before.”

The reliability of online streams compared with traditional broadcasts remains a concern, however, according to Hall:

“For broadcasters and operators providing multiplatform World Cup services, supplying demand with minimal technical hiccups should be of paramount concern. Having set consumer expectations for TV Everywhere, providers must now deliver on the promise of their offerings, as failure to do so can result in bad press and, more importantly, frustrated fans. While viewing live events online is improving, there is some way to go before it can compare with the reliability traditional media distribution offers for the largest audiences.”

Ovum provides clients with independent and objective analysis that enables them to make better business and technology decisions. The company’s research draws upon over 400,000 interviews a year with business and technology, telecoms. Ovum is an Informa business.

Photo credit: Robbie Keswick, Balls of Glory