Connected TVs that are often referred to as Smart TVs are set to make up half of all TVs shipped by 2015 if research predictions are correct.Television sets with integrated internet services have already began filling the market with rival companies like Samsung and LG pushing their latest screens into stores this year, and broadband speeds could be making these TVs more popular.
Smart TV shipments are forecast to grow to 138 million units in 2015, with the internet-connected televisions already making up more than a quarter of all shipped TVs, according to research by DisplaySearch.
The total number by 2015 is predicted to reach over half a billion.
These connected televisions are defined by their ability to retrieve content from the internet without the restrictions of a portal, their intelligent search and recommendation functions, upgradeability and ability to network seamlessly with other devices in the home, according to DisplaySearch’s Director of TV Electronics Research, Paul Gray.
“Emerging markets often have good broadband services, and there is a thirst from consumers to get the best content available,” said Gray.
The study points to the switch between analogue to digital TV signals as a trailblazer for further innovation and a factor that could see a widening of the market for smart TVs.
