Providing market intelligence for more than 35 years

In The News

In A Connected World, Why Aren't Smart TVs Very Clever?

Turns out that smart TVs can be, well, pretty dumb. Even moderately priced sets can now connect to the Internet and run Netflix and other apps -- that's the "smart" part. Yet many people are ignoring the built-in features and turning to Apple TV, Roku and other stand-alone streaming devices that often do a better job.

In an August report, the NPD Group estimates that roughly a third of smart TVs in the U.S. weren't actually connected to the Internet. That's down from about half two years earlier, but still not good. Researchers at Parks Associates found that even as more Americans are using smart TV functions, streaming device usage has grown even faster.

"If you're a streaming media box (maker), you've got much more ability to push new features out into the market at an affordable price," says Barbara Kraus, Parks Associates' director of research. "They're very stiff competition for smart TVs."

From the article "In A Connected World, Why Aren't Smart TVs Very Clever?" by Anick Jesdanun and Ryan Nakashima.

Previously In The News

Internet connections to Smart TVs grow as streaming options increase

Smart TVs are becoming more of a norm now than ever before as a younger generation of Americans continues to rely more on streaming services than traditional television, according to research from Par...

What Should Apple Name Its Next New iPhone?

Pew has also reported that 68% of smartphone owners use their phone to follow along with breaking news events at least occasionally, 67% use their phone for turn-by-turn navigation while driving, and...

Women Know What Consumers Want: VCs Need To Wise Up

A whopping 117 million Americans are expected to need assistance with caregiving, according The Caregiving Innovation Frontiers by AARP and Parks Associates. It’s a $42.9 billion market. Yet, perhaps...

WWE's Stephanie McMahon on the Power of Letting Fans Call the Shots

The company is a leader in the streaming market—it launched an OTT (over-the-top) Internet-based streaming service in 2014. According to research firm Parks Associates, the WWE’s service is the fifth...