Smart TV
Internet TV grows by 79%
In 2011, 3D TV has not driven sales in the way that manufacturers may have hoped but one technology that has leaped forward in its offering and appeal is Smart TV. Whether you are looking for web browsing, video on demand, social networking or music streaming all of the big manufacturers have something to offer.
Sales volume of web-connectable TVs more grew by 79% in 2011 compared to 2010, to represent 16.5% of all TVs sold. Most of this was driven through large screen TVs but 7.5% of internet TVs sold between July and December 2011 were 26in or less. Smart TVs are also becoming more affordable as the average price has dropped by almost £132 between December 2010 and December 2011.
GfK analyst Peter Hunt;
peter.hunt@
gfk.com
easily.” Graham North adds, “A walled garden means that all available content is presented in a TV-friendly format and the viewing experience is not spoilt. We also have concerns that an open internet service means that unsuitable content could be accessed by young people.” Samsung’s Smart TVs offer both an app store and a web browser, but Darren Petersen thinks that a walled garden
provides the best viewing experience because, “The content has been developed for TV viewing, whereas many web pages don’t look so good on a television screen.” But Amit Rullay say that, “Philips – and our partners: LG, Loewe and Sharp – believe that open standards will attract the most support from content partners, and provide consumers with a greater depth of content and more localised content.” But even walled gardens need to be carefully controlled, says Edd Uzzell, “The UK online premium video market is getting more crowded, with new companies, such as Netflix, entering the market. This gives consumers more choice, however, we are not keen on having a huge number of movie stores, all offering the same movie at different price points, and differing levels of quality, as this can make for a confusing user experience.” A Smart TV is a hybrid television and computer, and the user interface is continually being improved, says Philips’ Amit Rullay, “Our system includes apps for both Apple and Android tablets and phones for controlling the Smart TV functionality. There’s also an option to add a wireless keyboard.” Samsung also markets smartphones and tablets which can use an app for controlling a Samsung Smart TV via a touch-screen interface. “Our 2012 Smart TV range will be easier to
navigate, offer more customisation and include a history bar for faster access to your TV content,” says Samsung’s Darren Petersen. Ed Uzzell notes that the Sony Entertainment Network service is available for TVs and Blu-ray players, “So there are plenty of ways to access the service without needing to upgrade your TV on a regular basis,” he says. Samsung also offers access to its Smart TV apps store via its Blu-ray players.
Panasonic VieraCast TV interface
Edd Uzzell says Sony’s Smart TV interfaces are refined and improved yearly based on consumer feedback, while Glenn Zanoni states that Toshiba Places has been designed from research around how TV menu systems are used, “Small icons, like those used on smartphones, can be difficult to see on a TV that is five or six feet away, so we developed large, easy to read icons that are also simple to navigate when using a remote control.”
Future proofing
Toshiba Places TV interface
The Smart TV life cycle is shorter than that for a conventional TV and some customers will worry about how future-proof their set is. There have been instances of a new generation of Smart TVs offering features or apps that are not available on last year’s model. So are consumers right to be concerned that their Smart TV will soon become obsolete? “Smart TV apps and technologies have been subject to the same rapid innovation as other hardware and software over the years. However, we have worked to ensure our Toshiba Places portal gives customers the latest content
18 The Independent Electrical Retailer March 2012
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