Friday 15 February 2013

Holland’s connected TV uptake on the rise

Latest research from the Dutch Bureau for Statistics (CBS) shows that 20% of Dutch homeowners now own a connected TV set, indicating that other European nations are starting to catch on to the growing trend that’s taking hold in Britain. According to a recent YouGov study, 55% of British homeowners have now connected their devices to the internet, demonstrating that UK consumers are embracing the smart TV market.

We reported last year that connected TVs were confusing consumers, with only one third of people actually connecting their devices to the internet. But as these latest figures show, the TV industry has done a great job over the past 12 months to educate consumers on the full potential of a connected TV. So much so, it would seem, that today, viewers are getting excited about how a connected device can enhance their overall TV experience. And as the research from CBS shows, it’s not just the UK that is getting better connected, with Holland’s population getting in on the action.

These figures are very promising for smart TV manufacturers and broadcasters alike, who would be wise to capitalise on this changing consumer behaviour. For smart TV manufacturers, this means bringing affordable OTT services to market. With such a competitive market, innovation is at an all-time high, so it’ll be those offering good quality and cost effective products that enjoy the greatest sales boost. For broadcasters, there is a huge opportunity to develop more content that encourages viewers to engage regularly with their TV sets.