US consumer interest in web TV applications is so strong that households are making their own connections via PCs and game consoles, according to research by Park Associates. From 2008 to 2009, the number of US households using web-connected game consoles increased by 64%, and the number connecting a PC to a TV increased by 36%, according to the firm’s latest report Digital Lifestyles: 2010 Outlook.
“Many households are working with devices they already have to get the connected TV experience, which shows strong future demand for connected TVs, web-enabled Blu-ray players, and networked digital media players such as Apple TV and Roku,” said Kurt Scherf, VP, principal analyst, Parks Associate, in a statement.
Over three-quarters of US households with PC-to-TV connections and one-third of Xbox 360 owners are using these connections to stream online video. These households, as they extend online video and other Web experiences to the TV screen, are laying the foundation for future behaviors with connected CE and entertainment services.
“Manufacturers and service providers should examine these consumer behaviours closely, so they can match their current and future connected offerings with actual demand without pricing themselves out of the market,” Scherf said.
