This year, more than 25 percent of all flat panel TVs shipped are expected to have some form of Internet connectivity, according to a new report from DisplaySearch.
The report, the second quarter 2011 “Quarterly TV Design and Features Report,” forecasts that 138 million units with Internet connectivity will ship in 2015, or 47 percent of all flat panel TVs shipped. In total, by the end of 2015, more than 500 million connected TVs will have shipped, the display research organization estimates.
Several factors are contributing the remarkable growth. First, the Indian government recently has decided to switch off analog TV transmission and move to DTB-T2 in 2015. The transition opens up a large television market to innovation and makes it more likely that a new market for connected TVs will emerge, says DisplaySearch.
Second technologies like WiFi Direct let TVs work more readily with handheld devices, such as smart phones and tablets, in the home. DisplaySearch forecasts that more than 98 million TV sets with 802.11 wireless networking built-in will ship in 2015.
According to Paul Gray, DisplaySearch director of TV Electronics Research, 35 percent of TVs 46in or larger in North America will be smart TVs in 2015. Smart TVs have the ability to retrieve content from the Internet without the restrictions of a portal; conduct intelligent searches and make recommendations; be upgraded by their owners; and network seamlessly with other devices in the home, Gray says.
