Installed Base of Connected Devices to Reach 1.34 Billion in 2016

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — In 2011, the global market for household consumer electronics (CE) continued its rapid shift toward “connected devices,” which are devices that have the ability to connect directly to the Internet or to a home network and can deliver IP-based video content. Driven primarily by the success of digital TVs, satellite STBs, video game consoles, and Blu-ray disc players and recorders, new NPD In-Stat research forecasts that the connected device installed base will grow from 256.8 million units in 2011 to 1.34 billion units in 2016.

“CE is no longer about ‘dumb’ devices that exist at the edge of the network to provide specific functions, but rather about ‘intelligent’ devices at the edge of the network that can connect consumers to new stores of content and engage them in new digital experiences,” says Norm Bogen, VP of Research. “This simple fact is having a profound impact on the development of the digital media and entertainment industry, which clings to the old practices of using networks to control the user viewing experience.”

Recent findings include:

• The global installed base of “smart devices” will have a CAGR of 52.6% from 2011 to 2016.
• Video game consoles will lead the market in “smart devices” rising to 36.7 million units in 2016.
• The installed base of connected media devices shipped to Eastern Europe will reach 79.2 million devices in 2016.
• Asia Pacific will account for 37.1% of CE devices shipped worldwide over the forecast period.

Recent In-Stat research, The Global Market for Connected and Smart CE Devices (#IN1204884RC), forecasts the market through 2016 for connected devices in six regions: North America, Caribbean and Latin America, Western Europe, Eastern Europe, Middle East and Africa, and Asia Pacific. This report also includes a forecast of “smart devices,” a subset of connected devices that have the ability to access content from outside a controlled, walled garden. Smart devices are also forecast through 2016 in the same six regions and for the same CE devices. Forecasts are for shipments and installed base by device and by region.

The consumer electronics devices included in this forecast:

• All types of digital set top boxes
• Digital video recorders
• Blu-ray players/recorders
• Video game consoles
• Streaming media players

This research is part of In-Stat’s Connected Digital Home service, which provides comprehensive analysis and forecasts of the worldwide connected digital home and home networking market, including infrastructure, networked media devices, features, semiconductors, applications, and consumer perspectives.