Communications and Technology Industry Research

A combination of the consumer electronics market always wanting the next big thing and technological advances in the broadcasting and Internet services markets means that Internet Protocol Televisions’ (IPTV (News - Alert)) popularity appears ready to explode. Internet protocol services in general have been gaining quite a bit of popularity with Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) services seeing a spike in popularity in the business community in the last few years. Given that fact, it can only be seen as common sense that Smart televisions or IPTVs would get quite a bit of popularity as well.

It helps that two of the most well known consumer tech companies in the world (Apple (News - Alert) and Google) have or are working on releasing their own IPTV models. Google has actually had their internet connected television out for a few years, but has had a hard time getting a market for it. Apple is rumored to be getting ready to release their iTV later this year and that model could do for IPTV what the iPod did for music and the iPad did for mobile computing.

Research firm Global Industry Analysts, Inc. believes that by the end of 2017, there will be more than 557 million subscribers to IPTV around the world. The firm points out that even during the darkest days of the economic recession, from 2007-2009, the number of people who were picking up iPTV services was growing at a double digit rate. 

Companies like Google (News - Alert) and Apple joining the fray has certainly helped, but the proliferation of broadband networks and the promise of even better wireless networks running on 4G speeds promises to help drive the market as well. Most television stations have begun to see the benefit of having some sort of an offering on the internet, either by going with entire series that are referred to as webisodes, or simply having accompaniment pieces with their regular programming on the Web. 

The move to the internet by everyone from the more traditional corporations to the college student has spurred television makers to come up with more innovative ways to take advantage. Soon the ability to connect directly to the internet from your television will be almost a requirement in order to actually sport positive sales.