• by Wayne Friedman , March 9, 2017

Media researcher comScore is starting a new syndicated service using its home panel to measure consumer behavior across home network-connected devices.

The service, called Connected Home, will use the company’s home panel -- more than 12,500 U.S. homes -- to deliver usage insights into computers, mobile phones, tablets, streaming sticks, smart TVs, Internet of Things (IoT) devices and more.

In those homes, the panel measures more than 147,000 active devices per month and 62,000 active devices per day. The company’s home panel comes from its TV-based viewing service Rentrak, acquired in February 2016.

Those buyers of new Connected Home service will get measurement for areas including device penetration, usage frequency, engagement time, household demographics, and cross-device activity.

The company says laptop and desktop computers had the highest penetration at 90%, with mobile phones at 88%. Media devices for over-the-top media content, including streaming boxes and sticks, account for 36%; with gaming consoles at 31%; and smart TVs at 28%.

Looking at manufacturers' media device share, comScore says Apple has a 24.1% share, followed by Microsoft, 22.2%; Samsung, 13%; Amazon, 6.8%; LG, 4.1%, and other companies totaling 29.7%.

In turmoil for months, comScore is looking to compete with Nielsen in all areas of audience measurement, especially for digital media. The company recently notified investors that its shares are at risk of being de-listed from the Nasdaq stock exchange.

Last summer, comScore co-founder Gian Fulgoni replaced Serge Matta as CEO. This followed the resignation of cofounder Magid Abraham as vice chairman.