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

Parks Finds Smartwatch Adoption in 14% of U.S. Broadband Households

Smartwatches are increasingly popular while tablets may have peaked, according to research from Parks Associates. The “360 View: Mobility & The App Economy” report found that smartwatch adoption reach...

It’s Playball for MLB and Facebook

A Bloomberg story on the agreement said that insiders put the price for the package at between $30 million and $35 million. It said that Facebook is broadening its sports lineup. Last year, it agreed...

Parks: Smart Home Devices Driving Higher Demand for Tech Support, But Computer Problems are in Steady Decline

Consumer computer problems, as well as problems with entertainment devices are declining steadily year-over-year, dropping by more than 50% since 2014, according to a new report from Parks Associates....

With 50% of X1 Subscribers Accessing Netflix, Comcast and Netflix Expand Their Business Relationship

Recent research from Parks Associates reveals the important sales channel relationship legacy pay-TV providers like Comcast have become to Netflix. Just over 20%, or one in five, of pay-TV subscribers...