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Why Smartphones Are Rewriting The Television Experience

by THEFUTURE.TEAM

September 21, 2026

Television is no longer competing only with streaming platforms. It is now vying for attention against the device most viewers keep within reach at all times: the smartphone.

A New Attention Economy Is Taking Shape

Market research firm Omdia says the divide between TV and mobile is increasingly disappearing, with nearly three in four US television viewers regularly using their phones for other media while watching television. The finding points to a broader shift in viewing behavior that is reshaping how audiences consume video across markets.

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What was once considered a distraction is becoming the norm. Rather than choosing between screens, viewers are using them together, turning television and mobile devices into a single, fluid media environment.

Older Viewers Are Driving The Shift Too

The trend is not confined to younger audiences. Omdia found that simultaneous media use has risen across age groups, including among viewers historically seen as more loyal to traditional television.

Among Americans aged 55 to 64, the share using other media while watching television climbed from 42% in 2023 to 56% in 2026. For those aged 45 to 54, the figure rose from 62% to 73% over the same period. Among 35- to 44-year-olds, it increased to 76% from 69%.

The pattern suggests that the attention challenge facing broadcasters is becoming structural, not cyclical.

Short-Form Video Is Changing Viewing Habits

Much of this shift is being fueled by short-form and vertical video, formats that have trained audiences to expect highly personalized content delivered instantly on mobile devices. That habit does not disappear when the television is on.

As María Rúa Aguete, global head of media and entertainment at Omdia, put it: “We don’t have a content problem. We have an attention problem.” She added that “three in four US TV viewers are using their phones while watching TV, and increasingly what they are doing is watching more video.”

Her conclusion is telling: “The battle is no longer simply TV versus mobile; both screens are on.”

What It Means For Broadcasters And Streamers

For media companies, the implication is clear. The challenge is no longer limited to producing more programming. In an environment where viewers can shift attention in seconds, retaining engagement has become a separate business priority.

That creates pressure on broadcasters, streaming platforms and content owners alike. Success will depend not only on what audiences watch, but on why they move from one screen to another — and what keeps them coming back.

For advertisers, the lesson is just as significant. TV and mobile can no longer be treated as isolated environments. Viewers are moving across screens in real time, which means campaigns must reflect how media is actually consumed, not how legacy planning models assume it is consumed.

A Global Problem, Not Just An American One

Although the data comes from the US, the broader behavior is global. The same devices, platforms and content habits are available in markets around the world, making the trend relevant well beyond American households.

Rúa Aguete presented the findings at IBC 2026 in Amsterdam, where Omdia used the research to illustrate how rapidly audience behavior is changing in the age of mobile video.

For broadcasters in smaller markets such as Cyprus, the pressure is no less acute. Local television now competes not only with domestic channels and streaming services, but with an endless library of global video content accessible on a phone at any moment.

The Real Question For Television

The central issue for the industry is not whether television still matters. It does. The question is whether it can still command attention when viewers have a second screen constantly competing for their focus.

In the new media economy, the winners will not simply be the companies with the most content. They will be the ones that understand how audiences move between screens — and how to hold their attention once they do.

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Europe’s Deadly Summer Heat Exposed The Cost Of A Warming Continent

by THEFUTURE.TEAM

October 23, 2026

Europe experienced its deadliest summer for heat-related deaths on record in 2026, with an estimated 24,400 excess deaths linked to extreme temperatures across 30 countries. Researchers estimate that human-induced climate change was responsible for around 32,000 of the deaths attributed to heat in the study’s broader analysis, accounting for 65% of the total.

The findings highlight the growing public-health consequences of global warming, largely driven by fossil fuel use, as extreme heat becomes more frequent and severe.

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A Summer Of Dangerous Heat

Between June and August, heatwaves pushed temperatures in Western Europe to an average of 2.9°C above the 1991–2020 norm, with some days reaching 12°C above average. Nearly a third of estimated heat-related deaths occurred during a particularly intense heatwave between 17 June and 1 July.

“These numbers are a stark reminder that our hotter, more extreme summers are having an increasingly severe impact on public health,” said Dr Clair Barnes, a researcher at Imperial College London and co-author of the study.

The estimated toll exceeded previous peaks of around 29,000 deaths in summer 2022 and 28,000 in 2003 across the region studied.

How Researchers Estimated The Toll

Researchers modelled the relationship between temperature and mortality across 854 urban areas in the EU, UK, Norway and Switzerland, covering around 40% of the population in the 30 countries studied.

The analysis incorporated temperature records, age, socioeconomic conditions, environmental factors and access to healthcare. By comparing actual temperatures with those expected without human-induced warming, the team estimated the additional deaths attributable to climate change.

Final official mortality figures for summer 2026 are not yet available in many countries, and heat-related deaths are often underreported because their effects can be difficult to identify directly.

Older People Face The Greatest Risk

People aged 85 and over accounted for roughly half of the estimated deaths. However, the impact extended across age groups, with around 800 excess deaths among adults aged 20–44 and approximately 6,000 among people under 65.

Southern Europe experienced the highest mortality burden, reflecting hotter temperatures and other vulnerabilities, including air pollution, limited green space and unequal access to healthcare and heat-alert systems.

Italy, France And Spain Record Highest Toll

Italy recorded an estimated 13,303 heat-related excess deaths, followed by France with 7,268 and Spain with 6,824. Germany recorded around 6,340, while the UK saw an estimated 4,354 deaths.

In the UK, the heat also placed significant pressure on healthcare services. Andrew Hartle, Professor of Practice of Anaesthesia at Imperial College Healthcare, said demand during the summer resembled that of a severe winter virus season.

Cities Urged To Strengthen Heat Protection

Researchers say cities can reduce the risks through climate shelters, external shading and building retrofits, alongside measures to help residents avoid exposure during the hottest hours. Checking on vulnerable people, staying hydrated and following heat alerts are also important.

The researchers stress that adaptation must go hand in hand with reducing fossil fuel use to limit further warming. The findings underline that extreme heat is already a major public-health threat across Europe, with thousands of lives at risk each summer.