Smart TVs & 3DTV’s Growing Consumer Appeal

Up until recently people have been pretty apathetic towards the whole gizmo-laden Smart TV phenomenon, but that’s slowly changing as growing numbers of consumers come to see the benefits of owning a connected TV.

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Smart TVs & 3DTV’s growing consumer appeal

This much can be gathered from the latest IHS Smart TV Consumer Survey, which shows that 30.7% of all consumers interested in buying a TV are only interested in the ‘smarter’ variety. Compared to 12 months ago – when just 18.1% of buyers demanded Smart TVs – and it’s clear that people are rapidly coming around appreciate the benefits.

Perhaps even more surprising than the explosion of interest in Smart TVs is a similar surge in popularity within the niche 3D segment. Previously considered to be little more than a gimmick, it looks as if the efforts of the BBC with the Olympics and Sky TV with its sports coverage are finally beginning to pay off, as more than 18.8% of buyers cite 3D capability as a “must-have” feature when it comes to buying a TV. Previously, only 6% of those in the market for a new TV considered 3D to be an essential requirements.

What conclusions can we draw from these facts? Well, if anything, it’s just confirmation that feature-packed Smart TVs are slowly but surely transitioning away from being a luxury to something that’s seen as a standard requirement for the average homeowner’s living room. What’s more, this transition is likely to accelerate over the next 12-24 months as prices continue to tumble, with ever-cheaper Smart TVs constantly arriving in the stores. What with 53% of buyers citing price as a major driver in their purchasing decisions, the appeal of connected TVs will only grow stronger as they become more affordable.

No doubt comparisons will be made to the explosion of interest in HDTVs circa 2006-2008, when those sets became must-haves for the average consumer. Today, HDTV is beginning to look a little long in the tooth, and what with our tendency to only buy a new TV set once every five or six years, it’s no surprise that more people are looking to upgrade.

Source: GigaOM