Driven by the broadband access boom, global shipments of consumer-electronics devices capable of supporting Internet video are set to rise by nearly a factor of five from 2009 to 2013, according to iSuppli Corp.

By 2013, 376.5 million entertainment-oriented consumer electronics platforms with the capability to support Internet video will be shipped, up from 80.5 million in 2008. These platforms include televisions, Set Top Boxes (STBs), Blu-ray players, video game consoles and dedicated video platforms.

"The expansion of broadband Internet access from home computers to other devices including STBs has opened up a world of new possibilities for supporting Internet video via streaming and downloads," said Sheri Greenspan, senior analyst for consumer electronics at iSuppli. "More importantly, the public is demanding this type of content on a wider variety of platforms. However, they want this content to be easily available, and they want it to be of the same video quality as the programming on their living room televisions."

OEMs looking for new opportunities to differentiate themselves as well as content providers seeking new channels for distribution now view Internet television as a significant growth opportunity.

"Players across the consumer electronics supply chain are gearing up for the boom in Internet TV, which many consumer-electronics companies view as the next big thing in the digital home," Greenspan added. "This opportunity spans every segment of the consumer electronics supply chain, from semiconductors, to contract manufacturing, to system OEMs."

Categories: Articles, OTT, OTT