Fifth of TV sets to be connected in five years

Digital TV Research has predicted that connected TV sets will represent a fifth of global TV sets by 2016. But despite infiltrating the mass-market, many of these connected TVs will not actually be connected to the internet.

There’s no doubt that the connected TV market is set for seismic growth in the coming twelve months and beyond. But the thought of millions of connected TV sets sitting isolated in living rooms across the country is a gigantic waste! It accentuates a critical flaw in the success of the connected TV market to date. Simply having the ability to connect is not enough – because if the consumer doesn’t know how, the technology is rendered meaningless. What’s the use in technical progress if viewers aren’t able to reap the rewards?

We must embark on a process of significant consumer education if the market is to truly succeed. Manufacturers must take responsibility for ensuring that set up is simple and efficient, while retailers must ensure that the consumer has all the necessary information to go home and get started on their connected TV experience. All too often consumers are confronted with the complex, laborious process of returning home with a device that looked great on the shop floor, but a nightmare install.

If the connected TV market is to realise its full potential, it’s critical that the industry takes the reins on this mammoth education job now, to help consumers understand the true value that a connected TV experience can bring.