Providing market intelligence for more than 35 years

In The News

3 Upgrades to See on the Next Apple TV

We've been saying for more than a year that Apple TV is due for a major makeover; compared to competitors such as Roku, Chromecast, and Amazon Fire TV, the streaming media player is clearly dated—the last refresh appeared in 2013. Apple fans need not worry, though. It sounds like that overhaul will finally arrive in about two weeks, in the form of a fresher look, a new operating system, and some enhanced features.

The timing—linked to the Sept. 9 press event for the new iPhone 6—couldn't be better. A survey released last week by market research firm Parks Associates has revealed that, based on 2014 sales, Apple has slipped to number four in the streaming media player market, trailing not only Roku and Chromecast, but also Amazon Fire TV.

From the article "3 Upgrades to See on the Next Apple TV" by James K. Willcox.

Previously In The News

Google continues to ignore the Chromecast, the best product it ever made

The numbers also suggest customers, at least in the United States, have begun to pick Roku and Amazon over Google. A study by Parks Associates found that the Chromecast now makes up only 11% of the me...

Roku IPO a Success, Despite Gaining Little Revenue From YouTube or Netflix

Amazon, for example, is able to sell its own TV streaming products as well as market and promote those products more prominently on its official website. But user trends favor the company’s services....

User experience key focus for smart TVs and SMPs

A Parks Associates report finds that makers of smart TVs and streaming media players (SMPs) are shifting strategies to focus on the user experience (UX) as device sales start to flatten out. Accord...

What do people who don’t have smart home products want from them? Savings

Smart home devices are basically everywhere now, but some people are still holding out on inviting internet-connected appliances into their home. So what would finally get them to adopt the Internet o...