Half of All Smart TVs Not Connected to Internet

The biggest trend in TVs over the last couple of years has been the move toward 3D and smart TVs. Indeed, it is rapidly becoming difficult to buy a TV without both features, but that is no guarantee that anyone will actually use the features. A recent NPD In-Stat survey has revealed that only 47% of smart TVs are actually connected to the Internet, and even smart TVs that are connected are rarely used to take advantage of the connected features and apps made available. Given how rapidly smart TV functionality has spread through the market, it is likely that a goodly number of the people buying smart TVs never had any interest in the connected functionality, which means these statistics may not be as meaningful as they seem at first glance. Eschewing functionality one never sought in the first place is not an indictment of the functionality’s value to those interested, but it does suggest that TV manufacturers need to explore the causes behind the lack of interest if they hope to leverage their smart TV functionality as a revenue stream as Samsung appears poised to attempt with a Blockbuster streaming service. It also highlights how vulnerable TV manufacturers might be to the arrival of Apple’s oft-rumored iTV. Whether the lackluster adoption and use of smart TVs is the result of consumer apathy, poor implementation, or simply a lack of consumer education, there will be no confusion about the role of Apple’s TV as a connected device or its “magical” properties.

Over a year ago we argued that the “smart” part of Smart TVs—the apps, the connectivity, the widgets—is useless. Unwanted. Turns out we weren’t alone. Everyone really does just want a dumb TV.

Gizmodo