Connected TV watched in 42m homes

Across the US and Europe, 42m homes are already accessing internet services through their TVs, market watcher Strategy Analytics reckons.

Given the rise of Netflix, Hulu and other such services, it's no surprise to learn that the Americans are leading the move from broadcast television to IPTV.

SA spoke to 4800 punters over there and over here. Some 20 per cent of the US survey participants said they have watched internet content on their TV screens in the past month, but only ten per cent of Europeans had.

Ironically, the UK leads the way in internet-streamed catch-up content, thanks to BBC iPlayer. SA's numbers suggest that while more TVs and set-top boxes are gaining iPlayer support, most of the service's uses still watch it on a computer.

Speaking of hardware, US consumers tend to get internet content on theit tellies through their games consoles. Europeans prefer to connect up PCs, SA's survey found.

Streaming content over a home network and internet-connected Blu-ray disc players are also significant in both territories, it added.

The usage of TVs that can connect directly to the internet over a home wireless network or a wired link was not mentioned, suggesting it's still a minority interest. No great surprise, that - connected TVs are relatively new, and many folk have yet to feel the need to upgrade their current flat-panels.

But the growth in net-linked TVs capable of running their own apps - so-called Smart TVs - is expected to boom over the coming three years. ®