Brits turned off by Smart TVs
More than half of UK punters don't want one
Brits may not be as keen on internet-connected tellies as previously thought. A new survey conducted by pollster YouGov shows we own fewer Smart TVs than folk in other major European economies do.
We're more attracted to new telly tech than the Americans are, though.
According to YouGov, more than half of Brits (52 per cent) definitely don't want a TV capable of tuning into BBC iPlayer, YouTube, Blinkbox, Lovefilm et al. Seven per cent of those asked said they didn't know what a Smart TV is.
Of course, that may reveal a flaw in the survey, let alone the promotional efforts of LG, Samsung, Sony etc.
Ask punters if they want a "Smart TV" and they may well say they don't. Ask if they want a telly that will allow them to view iPlayer and, we think, you'd get a more positive response.
And don't forget that a fair few folk can already access these services through Blu-ray players, set-top boxes and games consoles, so simply don't need the functionality replicated in their telly.
Then there's the cost - a real barrier to purchasing in the currently very chilly economic climate.
Still, YouGov found that a quarter of Brits are undecided about Smart TV, which ten per cent already have one. A further four per cent said they're going to buy one in the next 12 months.
Tot those percentages up and you won't get to 100 - that's rounding up and down for you.
Back to the survey, and YouGov found that France (18 per cent), Denmark (15 per cent), Sweden (13 per cent), Finland (12 per cent) and Germany (11 per cent) have higher Smart TV ownership levels than we do. The USA has less: only nine per cent of them have a net-connectable telly. ®
COMMENTS
I think it's correct
I can't be the only one who hates interactive TV. The BBC is already trying my patience, with 'Press RED' . Every $%#@ time news or sport is shown, you have to press Green to remove it.
"Hey BBC, we get it. You have shit on the RED button. No need to shove it down our throats." We managed to know the TEXT button existed without the constant barrage.
I've already got a smart TV.
Its called a computer.
Sorry , but these TVs (and the latest net enabled blue ray players) really are a solution looking for a problem. Anyone who wants to access internet media will already have a computer and the ones who don't won't be interested in what this TV has to offer.
Want dumber, not smarter
I would like a new TV. I want it to be HD and 3D and have a few HDMI sockets.
That is about it.
I don't need any tuner, any internet connection or anything labelled "smart"
(Is such a TV even on the market?)
We can currently access iPlayer (etc...) through the cable box, and also through the PS3 if we wanted. And of course we can also access such service on our pc, or the laptop, or our smartphones if we wanted to.
Adding access to such services on the TV itself is probably the worst place to put them. If standards change then it is easier to change a box then the entire TV. I get the feeling TV companies are trying to push "smart" TV's as adding the pas is very cheap and they feel they can use it to puff up the product and make better margins.
Not wanted here
I have loads of ways to get on the interenet. If my TV offers me net access, but then only shows me a tiny part of it I shall regard it as broken.
Quite right
I am not in the slightest interested in a smart TV that has Samsung or Sony choosing my programmes for me.
It is none of the set makers business to be involved in supplying the programmes. That way lies conflict of interest, closed markets, cartels, and all manner of consumer abuse.
Mr Vauxhall and Mr Shell do not tell me where I can drive my car, after all. And if they did, well buggerem.
