As the satellite television market continues to grow and mature, the set top box (STB) industry as a whole is slowly rolling out new features and services, reports In-Stat.
Interactivity, HD, and DVR functions are growing facets within the satellite industry as a means to increase average revenue per user (ARPU) and reduce customer churn, the high-tech market research firm says. These are, in turn, being addressed by STB manufacturers.
At the risk of belaboring this point, I will add that there's still significant opportunity to re-imagine the design of the STB consumer experience. Over time, the typical remote control design has become less people-friendly, and the addition of more tiny buttons with cryptic labels leaves many users scratching their heads.
Simplicity, by design, is apparently a foreign concept to the technology-centric designers within the STB industry. I wonder how many actually perform usability tests on their new designs, and how many actually attempt to redesign products that are deemed unduly complex to use?
Recent research by In-Stat found the following:
- The worldwide satellite set top box market will eclipse 81 million units (both free-to-air and pay-TV) by 2010.
- For the next several years, as the transition to HD occurs in mature markets, sales of new boxes will offset, to a point, slowing gross subscriber adds.
- More Ethernet connections will appear in satellite set top boxes in the future as more providers offer services in partnership with broadband providers.
Interactivity, HD, and DVR functions are growing facets within the satellite industry as a means to increase average revenue per user (ARPU) and reduce customer churn, the high-tech market research firm says. These are, in turn, being addressed by STB manufacturers.
At the risk of belaboring this point, I will add that there's still significant opportunity to re-imagine the design of the STB consumer experience. Over time, the typical remote control design has become less people-friendly, and the addition of more tiny buttons with cryptic labels leaves many users scratching their heads.
Simplicity, by design, is apparently a foreign concept to the technology-centric designers within the STB industry. I wonder how many actually perform usability tests on their new designs, and how many actually attempt to redesign products that are deemed unduly complex to use?
Recent research by In-Stat found the following:
- The worldwide satellite set top box market will eclipse 81 million units (both free-to-air and pay-TV) by 2010.
- For the next several years, as the transition to HD occurs in mature markets, sales of new boxes will offset, to a point, slowing gross subscriber adds.
- More Ethernet connections will appear in satellite set top boxes in the future as more providers offer services in partnership with broadband providers.