Nearly two-thirds (63%) of U.S. internet households
now own smart TVs—up from 38% in 2015, according to new OTT market tracking data from Parks Associates.
With 87% of households now having at least one video streaming service, and an
average of 16 connected devices, consumers cite interoperability, compatibility, and ease of use within an ecosystem as the factors most influencing their last TV purchase.
A single-access
control point is also on their list of desired features.
TV manufacturers and tech giants such as Amazon, Apple, Google and Samsung are building smart-home controls into
newly launched smart TVs, transforming this device into a home control platform.
Roku and several other companies announced new TVs at CES, with many seeking to leverage
the operating system as much as the hardware for future applications.
Smart TVs “will be a key element of an integrated whole-home entertainment vision going
forward,” notes Parks President Elizabeth
Parks. “New applications and integration are bringing together the smart home and entertainment ecosystems to further monetize its user base and have more control of the data in the
home.”