Some 2.5 million broadband households in the United States and Canada are ready to purchase an Internet-connected TV if priced at a $100 premium over regular TVs. This figure translates into $250 million in additional revenues for the consumer electronics industry, according to new research from Parks Associates.
Parks Associates' latest consumer study, Digital Media Evolution, gauges market demand for Internet-connected devices and the applications. The study covers digital cameras, TVs, digital photo frames and Blu-ray players.
The top application consumers want through a connected TV is access to VoD content. At the same time, roughly one-third of broadband households in the United States and Canada want on-screen widgets, and 27 percent want to access content stored on their home computers.
"Access to additional content is the key demand driver," said John Barrett, director of research for Parks Associates. "Most people can get popular video titles through their pay-TV providers, but if they want to watch niche or personal content on their TV, they have to burn or buy DVDs. With a connected TV, they suddenly have lots more options."
