Over 30 per cent of consumers in the US who plan to purchase a TV set in the next 12 months want an Internet-connected TV or Smart TV, according to a consumer survey from IMS Research.

Internet connectivity is becoming more important to consumers in the US. Consumer metrics indicate that the Smart TV feature is driving 70 per cent more TV purchases than it did 12 months ago. “The awareness and preference for Smart TVs and the video services and applications that can be accessed through them is increasing, creating a shift in consumer purchase behaviour,” says Veronica Thayer, market analyst at IMS Research, “However, price, screen size and picture quality remain the primary purchase drivers in the US.”

The survey also indicates that Internet connectivity is not only a stronger purchase driver than 3D, but that it has become as relevant to consumers as LED screen technology. Among consumers who purchased a TV in the past 12 months, 63 per cent more consumers claim they wanted a LED TV than an Internet-connected TV. In contrast, among consumers who plan to purchase a TV in the next year, almost the same amount claim that they want an Internet-connected TV as a LED TV.

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