eMarketer reports that U.S. households using TVs connected to the Internet rose nearly 25% in 2012, notes MarketWatch. That figure should climb to almost 30% this year.
In 2012, there were about 26.8 million U.S. homes using a so-called smart TV, eMarketer said, up from 21.6 million at the end of 2011. By the end of 2013, the firm expects to see 35.1 million American homes equipped with an Internet-ready set.
Nearly 85% of all flat-panel TVs manufactured in 2016 will be able to connect to the web, according to a new Gartner report.
Worldwide production of “smart TVs” is expected to reach 108 million in 2013. Gartner cautions manufacturers that the ability to connect to the web won’t be enough to spur demand among consumers for smart TVs. “In the end, the choice may be all about the extra content that one TV brand offers over another.
Consumers will be asking questions such as, which internet TV services can the TV access? Are these the sites I think are valuable? Can I use my smartphone or tablet with this TV?” said Paul O’Donovan, Gartner’s Principal Research Analyst.
Gartner defines “a smart TV” as a set that has the ability to search the web for video content and then play that content back. It does not necessarily require an internet browser, but it does need to offer apps via an app store, regardless of whether it’s operated by the manufacturer or a third party.
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