Tuesday January 31, 2012 – Maya Jasmin
Coming off of my first Consumer Electronic Show (CES) earlier this month, I must admit that while I was definitely impressed I was not awestruck as the next-big-thing is seldom front and center at the confab. So amongst all the many gadgets in the likes of Ultrabooks, 3D gaming devices, Smart Cars, etc… smart TVs were the most alluring to me.
Of course, we’ve known for some time that 3DTV/Smart TVs are designed to bait consumers into buying new high-end sets. But with most of North America, Japan, and Western Europe at a point of saturation and in economic uncertainty, what is the outlook for new sets integrated with digital terrestrial TV tuners, Internet connections and 3D technology? DTC is forecasting relatively strong growth for worldwide Integrated Digital TV (IDTV) shipments but only in parts of the world where consumers have yet to experience the analog-to-digital TV transition; high-end bells and whistles will not likely boost TV sales in places where the transition has already occurred. DTC expects 147 million IDTVs to ship in 2012, growing to nearly 250 million in 2016, with growth generated in regions where tuner mandates are accompanying approaching analog shut-offs, namely Latin America, Eastern Europe and Asia Pacific.
So even with impressive displays at CES and ramped up marketing efforts by manufacturers, it seems that 3DTV/Smart TV sales, or lack thereof, is contingent upon external forces, namely the economy. And until it improves and consumers feel comfortable with making purchases outside of necessity’s realm, the 3DTV/Smart TV market will continue to be a niche element in overall IDTV shipments.
|