i3 - September/October 2017 - 21

LOOKING AHEAD

Indeed, the popularity of UHD and HDR
figure into the thinking of manufacturers
and analysts. LG's Durgin cites plans
to integrate smart TV technology with
Rolling out smart TVs has inspired TV manufacturers to update
"4K,
live streaming with SlingTV and
their connected TV features, focusing on what consumers want to see.
HDR
with partners including Netflix,
Here are a few examples:
Amazon, VUDU and more to follow."
Samsung's Young agrees that, "Consumers have come to expect the highest video quality when they stream
movies and TV shows. As the market
develops, streaming is at the forefront of
high quality 4K HDR content," Young
adds. "Our streaming partners are movEvan Young
Lily Knowles
Matt Durgin
ing aggressively to put their original
Senior
Director,
Senior Vice
Director,
programming into 4K HDR, and we
Smart TV Platform,
President,
North American
work closely with them to ensure our cusSamsung
Marketing, Vizio
Smart TV Content
tomers receive the highest quality experiElectronics
Partnerships, LG
ence both in terms of picture quality
America
through our QLED sets and Samsung's
"Our broad installed
SmartTV platform."
base allowed us to
"Multiple different
Young also emphasizes the growing
"Consumers generally
gather feedback
business models
prefer an integrated,
appeal
of multimedia, cross-platform
quickly from users to
have been working.
consistent user experifeatures
that involve smart TVs. For
further refine our user
Subscription, video
ence and also prefer not
example,
Samsung's SmartView allows
experience and UI
on-demand, adverto have a plethora of
design,
and
identify
users
to
control
their TV sets, search and
tising-based or even
wires to and from STBs
the best content
hybrid consumer
discover content, as well as cast personal
hanging down from
services to add to
models have all been
photos, music, and video to their TVs.
the TV. Our SmartTV
the platform. As more
successful in reaching
"Our TVs can also connect to our line of
platform integrates the
viewers moved to duallarge consumer bases.
Family
Hub refrigerators to mirror content
desired apps on board
screen usage while
Consumers have
on
the
fridge's
21-inch screen," Young says.
with a single signature
watching TV, Vizio
a tremendous need
At
Vizio,
Knowles
focused on the role
user interface that is
felt it was important
for customizing and
of
SmartCast,
which
she says "advances
consistent not only on
to advance the smart
controlling their
the TV, but across platthe
smart
TV
experience
and integrates
TV experience and
content choices."
forms like our mobile
the
second
screen
into
the
overall user
integrate the second
devices, Blu-ray players
experience.
SmartCast
lets
consumers
screen into the overall
and other products."
user experience."
easily create a whole home entertainment
experience," she adds. "SmartCast is an
ecosystem that includes displays, soundbars and speakers that users can pair
receivers. "Smart TV" shows consistent
together and control with the SmartCast app from any room in the home."
popularity, lagging only slightly behind
Parks Associates points out that online content providers such as
UHD. (HDR is expected to be the major
Netflix, Hulu and Amazon offer UHD and some HDR videos, "especially
technology attribute in upcoming sales,
if it's a new product." But he adds that traditional broadcast and cable
according to the forecast).
TV channels don't promote "high quality video content as often as OTT
The same CTA study acknowledges
services do." To some, that opens the door for more enhanced video from
that "the ability to stream video is
streaming sources as connected TV displays become the de facto receiver
becoming an ubiquitous feature across"
in American households.
devices - again citing the compatible
Indeed, a recent analysis of the smart TV market carried the headline,
but competing role of set-top boxes vis"Connected TV is just a normal part of the U.S. home." New Nielsen data
à-vis smart TV receivers. CTA's Koenig
shows that in homes with smart TVs, viewing of OTT content is even higher
points out that "almost all TVs larger
than in homes using a connected set-top box.
than 40-inches are smart now," and he
Brad Russell, another Parks Associates research analyst, summarized the
expects the feature to remain popular as
evolving role of TV sets in the home. "They are becoming an interface for smart
more top-notch streaming content
home devices and a viewing platform for video streams," Russell says, characbecomes accessible.
terizing the process as "a premium user experience in the smart home."

Early Insights about Consumer Interests

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