TVs connect to net more often for e-game applications, as per DisplaySearch

Date: 09/04/2013
NPD DisplaySearch has conducted smart TV usage survey in US, Japan, China, France, Germany, Italy, and the UK and it has found from this survey that 27% of flat panel TVs are connected to the Internet, either directly from smart TVs or via other connected devices.

Finding reported by NPD DisplaySearch includes:

In connected flat-panel-TV households across all countries surveyed, the devices most often used to connect TVs to the Internet are Sony Playstation, Nintendo Wii, Microsoft Xbox 360, and other gaming consoles (19%), followed by Roku, Apple TV,PPTV Live and other media center boxes (17%). Behavior varies by country: for example, in China connected flat-panel-TV households most often connect through media center boxes (23%); while in the UK the favored connection is via gaming consoles (20%).

“Despite an increase in the availability of TVs with internal connectivity options, consumers still primarily access online content using game consoles, media center boxes, and other devices connected to their existing TVs,” said Riddhi Patel, Research Director at NPD DisplaySearch. “As consumers become more comfortable using the connectivity features of smart TVs, and as the navigation and search capabilities on those devices become more intuitive and user friendly, we can expect to see more consumers accessing the Internet directly from smart TVs.”

Figure 1: TV to Web Connection Type
(US, Japan, China, France, Germany, Italy, and UK)

tv gaming


Source: NPD DisplaySearch Quarterly Smart TV Usage Study

On average, in the seven countries tracked by NPD DisplaySearch, just 10% of consumers rely on smart TVs to connect to the Internet. Usage of smart TVs has been limited by higher prices, the widespread availability of other devices, and the complexity of connecting smart TVs to home networks and the web.

“While the connected TV market is still ruled by game consoles and other external devices that connect to TVs, new options are beginning to emerge,” noted Patel. “For example, USB-based media center box options, which are replacing physical boxes, are gaining popularity in the UK and other countries, while in China, smart TV adoption is on the rise due to aggressive promotions by manufacturers.”