Nearly Half of New TVs Will Be Internet-Connected by 2015

SANTA CLARA, CA — Internet services are critical to the future of TV, according to new research by DisplaySearch. In 2011, more than 25 percent of all flat panel TVs shipped are expected to have some form of Internet connectivity, and DisplaySearch forecasts that by 2015, 47 percent of flat-panel TVs shipped, or 138 million units, will be Internet-connected.

Paul Gray, DisplaySearch director of TV electronics research, says, “We expect that in 2015, 35 percent of 46-inch or larger TVs in North America will be smart TVs, defined as having the following capabilities: able to retrieve content from the Internet without the restrictions of a portal; intelligent search and recommendations; upgradeable by its owner; and able to network seamlessly with other devices in the home.”

“The adoption of connected TV is not just taking place in developed regions,” Gray adds. “Emerging markets often have good broadband services, and there is a thirst from consumers to get the best content available.”

According to DisplaySearch research, by the end of 2015, more than 500 million connected TVs will have shipped.

DisplaySearch Connected-TV Forecast
Source: DisplaySearch Quarterly TV Design and Features Report



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The Indian government's decision to end analog terrestrial signals and move to DVB-T2 digital broadcast in 2015 opens a potential major new market for connected TVs. At the same time, new technologies such as Wi-Fi Direct simplify connections between televisions and handheld devices such as smart phones and tablets.

DisplaySearch forecasts that more than 98 million TV sets with 802.11 wireless networking built in will ship in 2015. “Wi-Fi technologies are the foundation of smart TVs,” says Gray.