Connected CE and Platforms

Parks Associates wrapped up the 25 th year of the CONNECTIONS™ conference this week with two days of virtual sessions: Smart Home: Bridging Platforms and Changing the Experience, Privacy and Security, Europe and Smart Home, Insurance and the Smart Home. Here are some important takeaways from the speakers in each session. Smart Home: Bridging Platforms and Changing the User Experience Consumers do not desire the same smart home experience. They are split into two...

The news of impending smart TVs from two very different ends of the video spectrum – Amazon and Comcast - is indicative of the rapid changes that have taken place in video consumption and delivery over the past few years, and where the market is now headed. The balance of power in the US video environment has evolved, along with the nature of video consumption by consumers – including how, what, and where they watch video. Parks Associates’ Q1 2021 consumer data...

Cloud gaming, the streaming of cloud-hosted games over the internet, is an idea that is not new, but has yet to really gain mainstream traction. In years past, there were any number of showstopper issues that compromised the experience for consumers, from developer support to performance lag to platform support, content availability and more. There are clear signs that 2021 is a watershed year for the growing momentum behind cloud gaming – and these moves are coming from titans in the...

In early April, LG announced it would be shutting down its long-struggling smartphone business by July 31 st , 2021. The move did not exactly come as a surprise; LG’s mobile division had been running at a loss for 23 consecutive quarters, the company had hinted at hard decisions ahead for its mobile division, and rumors have swirled about the company being unsuccessful at attempts to find a buyer for the unit. Nonetheless, the move marks a significant exit by a major brand - and is a...

In a year unlike any other, CES 2021 similarly proceeded unlike any CES before it, with the virtual event bringing the show to arguably its broadest audience yet. One aspect of the show that remained similar to previous years was the high-profile prominence of the latest and greatest television announcements from CE industry leaders. In contrast to years past however, CES 2021 saw the traditional TV market leaders redoubling their efforts to differentiate their sets in the face of...

As we head towards the new year, it’s a good point to look back at how the connected TV market has changed during the course of 2020. We’ve seen accelerations in the adoption of streaming video products, particularly connected TV devices such as smart TVs and streaming media players. In early 2020, retailers sold out of their existing stock as strong consumer demand ran up against factory shutdowns and delays in shipping. In the third quarter of 2020, production and shipping returned,...

The number of connected devices continues to expand year-over-year, and 2019 concluded on a particularly strong note for the security industry.  Security system adoption reached one-third of all US broadband households at the end of the year. Consumers now have an average of 12 connected devices in their homes, which opens multiple opportunities to extend monitoring services as well as different varieties of both professional monitoring and monitor-it-yourself options. Our team...

Smart speakers can present strong use cases for smart home devices to the consumer. By bundling smart speakers with smart plugs, smart light bulbs, or smart thermostats, companies can deliver a guided introduction to the smart home experience. We just released new research from Smart Home Buyer Journey and User Experience  showing that smart speakers are serving as a gateway to smart home adoption, as 16% of broadband households purchased a smart speaker prior to purchasing...