WHILE THE WORLDWIDE satellite set top box market has experienced slow to negative growth in recent years, that trend is about to change. According to new research from In-Stat, digital satellite STB unit shipments will grow by nearly 14% in 2012.
“New technology in many ways is powering the expected uptick in unit shipments,” said research director Michelle Abraham, in the report’s press release. “Increasingly powerful processors enable a more personalized viewing experience with downloadable apps and recommendation engines. An improved graphics capability also enhances the user experience, providing satellite service providers with a new feature set to compete for subscribers.”
Other highlights from Worldwide Satellite STBs: Gaining Momentum in Emerging Markets include:
– The Asian market is expected to stabilize, following slow subscriber growth;
– In North America, the move to a server/client model impacts shipments because client devices will not all be set top boxes;
– The Indian market has experienced huge growth with 6 platforms competing for subscribers;
– Pace was once again the top supplier of satellite STBs in 2010 with Technicolor and EchoStar following as was the case in 2009; and
– SD DVRs will disappear in some markets in favor of HD DVRs, although they are expected to remain in some cost-conscious markets.
