Connected sets to account for 27% of TVs by 2018

LG Smart TV

The number of TV sets that are connected to the web will reach 759 million by 2018, accounting for 26.8% of global TV sets, according to a new study by Digital TV Research. 

The Connected TV Forecasts report, which covers 40 countries, anticipates a “massive boom” in connected televisions, with this figure due to climb from 115 million TVs connected to the web at the end of 2010 and the 307 million at the end of 2013 – representing just 5.1% and 12.4% of TVs respectively.

“Connected TV is undergoing the largest upheaval in its short history. The introduction of affordable devices such as Google’s Chromecast and Sky’s Now TV are shaking up the market, with connected TV set manufacturers already reducing their prices as a reaction to this increased rivalry. The introduction of three next-generation games consoles adds further competition,” said Simon Murray, principal analyst at Digital TV Research.

The research predicts that installed smart TV sets will overtake games consoles connected to the web during 2013, and will account for 259 million, or 34%, of the 2018 total connected sets.

The number of connected games consoles will rise to 176 million by 2018, double the 2012 total, according to the study.  It predicts the number of TVs connected via streaming set-top boxes and devices like Google’s Chromecast stick will reach 126 million in 2018, up from only 4 million in 2010.

Connectivity via operator-provided pay TV set-top boxes is expected to reach 117 by end-2018, while connected Blu-ray players will account for 81 million connections by 2018.

“Connected TV is becoming more international. The US will still command a third of connected TV sets by end-2013, but this proportion will fall to 23.5% by 2018. China will climb from 6.6% of the 2013 total to 16.4% by 2018,” said the report.