According to research from Strategy Analytics Connected Home Devices, worldwide sales of digital TV set-top boxes broke through the 100 million barrier for the first time in 2007.
The report, “Digital TV Set-Top Boxes: Global Market Forecast” found that sales reached 102.4 million units last year, an annual increase of 12%. IPTV’s market share rose to 5.9 per cent, compared to 3.6 per cent in 2006. Cable’s share rose, to 36.2 per cent, while the satellite and terrestrial market share declined.
For 2008 the report predicts a surge in demand for digital terrestrial set-top boxes, driven by the impending switch-off of analogue broadcasting in the US. By 2012 annual global sales of all digital TV set-top boxes will reach nearly 200 million units.
“We expect the Asia-Pacific region to overtake North America and Europe in 2008, accounting for a third of this year’s 129 million sales,” says Peter King, Director, Connected Home Devices.
“Sales of digital terrestrial TV boxes in Europe have now plateaued, as consumers begin to transition to integrated digital TV sets, but this pattern is unlikely to prevent overall market growth across all platforms.”
In South Africa the growth of high definition TV, digital video recording and Internet video as well as the imminent launch of pay-TV services will also drive the sales boom for digital TV set-boxes in the country.
