#NYNTK (Numbers You Need to Know): Streaming viewing time hits
a record in Q2
Date published: 8/26/26
Streaming's upward trajectory hit a new milestone in Q2: its biggest share of TV time yet.
New data underscores how TV has fundamentally changed. Valuable audiences are deeply engaged while streaming on the largest screen in the home. More than ever, this screen is where attention peaks and decisions happen, creating new opportunities for marketers.
Streaming’s tipping point is behind us
The new 2026 data don’t leave much room for debate:
This isn’t a blip. Streaming TV has been on a roll over the last six quarters, expanding its share of all viewing time as more live sports are available on streaming and linear continues to erode.
2026 was already shaping up to be a watershed year for live sports on streaming, and Q2 did not disappoint. The NBA Playoffs and FIFA World Cup, for example, reached their highest viewership ever, and Comcast called the events major contributors to Peacock's very first profitable quarter.
Sports were one reason to stay on linear. Now they're the reason to double down on streaming.
Category leader, by a wide margin
As the nation’s No. 1 Smart TV, Samsung plays a special role at the center of the home:
Samsung is the first screen seen by millions of households the moment they power on their devices, connecting all viewing behavior. That’s a scale advantage that’s difficult to replicate.
Ad-supported streaming is where the action is and no longer a fallback tier for audiences. Samsung Ads offers reach to a large pool of ad-supported households:
Advertisers looking to reach incremental audiences need scale, and Samsung is one of the most reliable places to find it.
Samsung TV Plus keeps viewers coming back
As the cost of streaming subscriptions increases, audiences are voting with their wallets and embracing the value of Free Ad-Supported Streaming (FAST).
Our audiences are sticky, with 92% retention for Samsung TV Plus after the first three months of viewing. In comparison, many top ad-supported apps have less than 80% retention after three months, according to Antenna.
Reach that matters
Samsung Smart TV owners are high earners:
- Samsung Smart TV owners have a median household income of $98,000, 24% higher than the overall US household
- Samsung Smart TV owners are 36% more likely to have a $200,000+ household income compared to the overall US household
Affluent audiences have buying power, particularly in key categories like auto, travel, and home improvement. That means they're primed to spend big and become new or repeat customers.
Scale meets results
With the combination of growing streaming share with Samsung’s scale and quality audiences, brands can turn awareness into action, especially critical as we head into Q3 and Q4 planning.
Across industries, brands are taking advantage of this trifecta, and it’s paying off. Samsung delivered a 488% increase in tune-in for an entertainment company, 500,000 new policy signups for an insurance giant, and a 37% lift in store visits for a national QSR business.
Samsung Ads meets viewers where they are — the largest screen in the house — and helps brands cut through a crowded CTV landscape with real-time, actionable TV-level viewing data and outcomes that move the needle.
Get in touch to learn how Samsung can help you meet your Q3 and Q4 business goals.
