Connected TV device numbers to reach 204 million by 2017

LG Smart TV

There will be 204 million connected TV devices capable of delivering apps to viewers by 2017, more than twice the projected number of US internet households, according to NPD research.

NPD’s Connected Home Forecast expects ownership of connected TV devices – including video game consoles, streaming media players, Blu-ray disc players, and TVs – to grow 100% by 2017.

Driving this will be streaming media players and TVs, which NPD expects to account for the majority of the growth in installed and internet-connected units over the next three years.

“The evolution of hardware and digital content distribution is constantly changing the TV viewing experience. Over the coming years, the consumer’s preferred device for apps on TV will be shaped by the next generation of video game consoles, smart TVs, and a new wave of streaming media players,” said John Buffone, executive director, NPD Connected Intelligence.

NPD expects the rate at which consumers connect internet capable TV devices to increase from 60% in 2014 to 76% of installed units by 2017 – boosted by hardware upgrades, increased app programming from TV networks and improvements to user interfaces.

However, NPD said it also expects the connected TV device market “to begin to reach saturation” by 2018.