Report Sees Strong Demand for Internet-Enabled TVs

ARLINGTON: A new study from the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) reveals that 14.5 million U.S. consumers are considering the purchase of an Internet-enabled television set in the next 12 months.

According to Net-Enabled Video: Early Adopters Only?, about half of prospective TV buyers say they are likely to purchase an Internet-connected TV. The report also found that 48 percent of U.S. online adults would use their web-enabled TV to find out more information on upcoming shows and identify a song that played during the show; 44 percent also would use the web to find out more information about the actors featured on-screen.

“As we saw at the 2009 International CES, Internet-enabled devices are taking the consumer technology experience to the next level, and nowhere is this more pronounced than with television,” said Shawn DuBravac, CEA’s economist and director of research. “Consumers want more from their TV experience and marrying traditional television with Internet access is providing the next frontier of the television experience.”

Another key finding is that 30 percent of online adults always or usually surf the Internet while watching television and 32 percent say they sometimes do. "The next frontier is to create a seamless experience bringing the two together,” said DuBravac. “Consumers want a variety of content that they can access anytime. An Internet-enabled TV is perfectly positioned to provide consumers with exactly what they are looking for in their next television experience.”