WEB-ENABLED consumer electronics are a game-changer for the digital entertainment industry, according to In-Stat.
In its research report Global Web-Enabled Consumer Device Market Set To Explode, the market research firm examines the growth of Internet access functionality to an array of consumer electronics (CE) device types, ranging from set-top boxes to Blu-ray players and digital picture frames.
“Most web-enabled CE devices will be sold in developed countries”, said In-Stat analyst Norm Bogen, in a statement. “Our research shows that within five years nearly all broadband households will own at least one web-enabled CE media device. The implications of this across the digital entertainment industry will be huge.”
In-Stat also predicts:
– Worldwide shipments of web-enabled stationary CE devices will grow more than seven-fold from their 2009 levels to over 230 million by 2013;
– There will be over one-half billion web-enabled CE devices in operation worldwide by 2013;
– In 2009, there were five broadband households worldwide for every web-enabled CE device. By 2013, this ratio will be 2:1;
– Many cable operators, worldwide, are predicted to introduce BBC iPlayer-like over-the-top services for catch-up and on-demand program viewing;
– In-Stat’s consumer survey indicates that over half of US consumers with network-connected Blu-ray DVD players/recorders use Wi-Fi, while 30% use Ethernet.
