Two-Thirds of U.S. Viewers Will Watch TV With a Second Screen in 2026

Second-screen viewing has shifted from a casual habit to default behavior for TV viewers. Forecasts report that in 2026, nearly two-thirds of U.S. social network users will actively be using a second screen while watching TV. But they aren’t tuning out ads while on their phones, they’re inspired to take action. New research shows that 34% of U.S. TV viewers have purchased merchandise or fashion inspired by a movie or TV show, while 31% have shopped for products directly related to what they’re watching using QR codes or in-show links. That’s why second-screen behavior matters so much: it turns the living room screen into a direct path to the checkout page.

CTV platforms and advertisers are moving fast to meet this behavior. Streamers like Tubi are leaning into QR-enabled formats built for viewers with a phone in hand, while Samsung Ads is tying CTV impressions directly to mobile actions like site visits and store lookups. As second-screening becomes fully normalized, CTV stands at the center of a compressed purchase journey where awareness, consideration, and conversion can happen in minutes. For performance-minded marketers, that makes Connected TV not just a branding channel, but a direct line to consumer action.

Connected TV in the News

Netflix Wanted To Reinvent Live TV. It Hasn’t Been Easy.
Wall Street Journal
After some very public glitches, Netflix thinks it has cracked the code on the tech needed to stream live events. Executives say it has been harder than anticipated.

Streaming Now Commands Over 60% of TV Viewing Time
MNTN Research
What was once a neck-and-neck race for viewing time now has a clear frontrunner: streaming.

Super Bowl LX Exposes Widening Gap in Advertising Strategies
EMARKETER
Several major brands are rethinking how they will show up around Super Bowl LX, even as the event remains the most-watched TV broadcast in the US.