86 per cent of UAE respondents indicated that they had played video games in the bedroom in the past three months.

For many young residents in the UAE, nothing beats the feeling of kicking back in their bedroom after a hard day of work and relaxing while listening to their favourite music or catching up on the latest movies and TV shows.

Young tech savvy millennials in particular are the biggest consumers of digital media, and are driving the popularity of online video streaming, gaming, and pay-to-listen music. The are also the quickest purchasers of digital content, buying music, movies, and TV shows within five days of their release.

With some of the highest levels of smartphone penetration globally, it is unsurprising that the smartphone is the device of choice for the consumption of digital goods in the UAE. PayPal's recent 'Digital Goods Economy Survey' revealed that the UAE leads the way in smartphone consumption for digital gaming, movie/TV streaming, music, and eBook industries.

"We know that the UAE has incredibly high smartphone penetration, which affects how residents in the UAE consume digital media. We also know that there is a high incidence of cross-border purchasing in the UAE, with customers often choosing to purchase from the US and China," said Kivanc Onan, regional senior director of PayPal Middle-East and North Africa.

PayPal's research showed that movies and TV shows are the most popular digital goods purchased in the UAE at 85 per cent, followed by video games, music, and eBooks at 50 per cent, 44 per cent, and 37 per cent respectively. Movies/TV are the most popular vertical for purchases in the UAE, with 70 per cent of respondents having made a purchase in the last three months. Music was the second most popular purchase, with just over 50 per cent of respondents having purchased a download or music streaming service.

Experts have pointed to the recent launches of sites such as Netflix in the region, which are feeding the desire of consumers to keep up to date with the latest international releases.

"We know that people love entertainment; however, what they don't love is being required to watch shows at a certain time on certain devices. That's why over-the-top services like Netflix that deliver content via the Internet wherever, whenever a viewer wants, are popular. We see people streaming over 125 million hour of content each day," said Jai Dattani, a spokesperson for Netflix.

"Since Netflix launched in the UAE last year, we have been really pleased by how popular the service has become and how people have welcomed Netflix into their everyday lives. We've seen a steady growth in subscribers which reflects the trend for people wanting to watch television on their own terms," Dattani added.

PayPal's research also showed that when it comes to the consumption of digital content, smartphones reign supreme. Music was the most popular category, with 93 per cent of music streaming and downloads done via smartphone. At 81 per cent, mobile gaming was the second most popular category on smartphones, followed by eBooks at 77 per cent, and movies and TV shows at 74 per cent.

Sherif Dahan, regional director for the Middle East at Vuclip, a mobile video-on-demand service provider, noted how the high penetration of smartphones in the UAE is a "huge booster" for the company. Vuclip, which recently launched Viu - a direct to consumer video-on-demand (VOD) service - in the Middle East, has proven to be popular with consumers in the emirates, due to its focus on providing premium experiences to various nationalities.

"The Middle East is home to a diverse population and our mission is to curate the most compelling and popular content from across the world," said Dahan. "Consumers in the UAE are willing to pay for content, and we have seen a definite growth in the consumption of digital content. Movies are the most consumed segment probably because of their popularity due to the various marketing plans. TV shows are also proving to be very popular."

Another interesting point highlighted in PayPal's research, was how the bedroom has become the new gaming hub of the UAE, with 86 per cent of UAE respondents indicating that they had played video games in the bedroom in the past three months - overtaking the living room at 80 per cent.

Kishan Deepak Palija, MD of Geekay Group, revealed that gamers in the UAE are some of the most passionate that they've seen across the world. "Gamers in this region need all the latest gadgets and games that release on day one and some go to unimaginable lengths to acquire them. Geekay Group has witnessed growth year on year and this year too, we seem to be on track to do better in terms of volumes and profitability. So far, all the gaming eco-systems have witnessed growth and with the release of a new player in the form of Nintendo Switch, competition is getting fierce for game companies to bring better and bolder exclusives for their consoles."

"With some incredible releases coming up, we are sure this trend will continue," he added. "Our industry has always been exposed to incredible technical advancements and ever changing trends in gaming. With the release of PlayStation VR, HTC Vive and other VR headsets, gamers were fascinated by the ability of immersing themselves in the virtual world and enjoyed every second of the experience. So far this momentum seems to be intensifying and sales for all gaming consoles and games this year have seen strong growth."

- rohma@khaleejtimes.com