Digital Lifescapes

Video entertainment in the typical American home has changed dramatically during the last few years. Streaming subscription video content to a TV set is now commonplace. There are several market drivers that are apparent, as a result of the consumer transition to over-the-top (OTT) video. The incumbent service providers had initially ignored the trend. Pay-TV providers had hoped that the baby-boomers would continue to tolerate perpetual price increases. Television broadcasters assumed that millennials would simply learn to accept the twenty minutes of commercial advertising that interrupts every hour of TV entertainment. In hindsight, both of these scenarios actually helped to fuel the introduction, market development and ongoing adoption of alternative -- often much lower-cost and more appealing -- video entertainment offerings. "Ownership of connected televisions and streaming media players is accelerating while the availability of streaming content is simultaneously expan...

Wearable technology research and development has gained momentum during the last two years. Once compelling use cases become established, wearable devices will become a significant new product category in consumer electronics. Fitness trackers have been in use for several years, and are still the most widely used wearable devices. Although they have an uncertain future, with the challenge from multi-functional smart watches, trackers can carve out their own niche by appealing to different markets and consumer needs. According to the latest market study by Juniper Research , fitness wearables in-use will almost treble by 2018, compared to an estimated 19 million in-use devices during 2014. Juniper believes that fitness will remain the dominant wearables segment until that time, driven by intuitive software applications (apps) and lower retail prices. However, the broader appeal of smart watches will mean that they will be used more frequently in later years. Their study findings...

Small consumer electronics, such as smart wearable devices, create new challenges for user interface (UI) designers that must find innovative ways to enable human interaction via emerging technologies. As a result, semiconductor component integration and software development will also evolve. The dominance of touchscreen user interfaces will reduce over the next 5 years as more sensors are introduced to mainstream products and entirely new product form-factors emerge, enabling and necessitating new user interfaces -- such as voice, gesture, eye-tracking, and neural. The latest ABI Research market study examined popular UI methods as well as the natural sensory technologies transitioning from research labs into future consumer electronics product solutions. "Touch got mobile device usability to where it is today, but touch will become one of many interfaces for future devices as well as for new and future markets," said Jeff Orr, Senior Practice Director at ABI Research ...

Most smartphones have a very similar shape, but that's about to change as new technology is applied to forward-looking designs. Mobile phones and associated wearable electronics are now part of what is called the Internet of People (IoP). The IoP encompasses internet-enabled personal electronics. It is rapidly spreading into the fabric of society giving a burst of new growth to add to the easing growth of mobile phones, tablets and other conventional personal electronics and associated networks and services. Many internet-enabled peripherals and alternatives are arriving that are worn, embedded in textiles and in products. This is thanks to new materials and ways of making electronics and more suitable human interfaces. They will often have very flexible displays, some tightly rolled into a conventional phone body. When pulled out, these screens will gather useful amounts of electricity from the sun as the user enjoys the large screen created with its haptic (feel what you do...

According to the latest market study by Canalys, 279.4 million smartphones were shipped worldwide in Q1 2014, representing growth of 29 percent over Q1 2013, but a decline of 5 percent on the seasonally strong Q4 2013. Once again, the Google Android ecosystem was the dominant force in the global marketplace. 81 percent of smartphones were Android devices, with iOS and Windows Phone accounting for 16 percent and 3 percent respectively. Samsung remained the leading vendor with a 31 percent share, ahead of Apple at 16 percent. Half of the top 10 vendors were Chinese companies: Huawei (third), Lenovo (fourth), Xiaomi (sixth), Yulong (eighth) and ZTE (ninth). China, the world’s largest smartphone market, accounted for 35 percent of shipments, substantially ahead of the U.S., which managed just 12 percent. 97.5 million smartphones shipped in China alone in Q1, though this was down 3 percent sequentially. "The Chinese market is undergoing major change and maturing quickly, with s...

While the concept of an automated home was conceived many years ago, various technical limitations have, until recently, meant that a truly connected home was but a dream for the average consumer. With the advent of mass-deployed broadband Internet access and the development of wireless technology, smart connected devices in the home are now a very real possibility. Juniper Research forecasts that the installed base of connected appliances in Smart Homes will exceed the 10 million mark by 2017 -- that's rising from 4 million units in 2013. Their latest global market study found that consumer awareness of connected appliances -- such as smart refrigerators and washing machines -- was gradually increasing, but that such devices are not widely considered to offer attractive value-added benefits. The Internet of Things for an Intelligent Home According to the Juniper assessment, smart appliances remain a niche item, given their high retail prices, poor use cases and ongoing se...

The worldwide wearable computing market is finally expanding beyond the early-adopter segment, with more functional and stylish personal accessories that are making their way onto the pages of lifestyle magazines like GQ and Shape. According to the latest global market study by International Data Corporation (IDC), wearables took a huge step forward over the past year and shipment volumes will exceed 19 million units in 2014 -- that's more than tripling last year's sales performance. The global market is forecast to reach 111.9 million units by 2018, resulting in a CAGR of 78.4 percent. Complex accessories -- such as Nike+ FuelBand, Jawbone UP, and Fitbit devices -- will lead the wearables market through 2018, as users continue to embrace their simplicity and low price points. These devices are designed to operate partially independent of any other device, but fully operate when connected with IP-capable devices such as a smartphone, tablet, or a PC. "Complex acc...

In the recent past, Apple iOS and Google Android have delivered a windfall for both vendors. Moreover, this is a pivotal year for media tablets as the traditional markets leading computing and consumer electronics (CE) deployments reach a tipping point and give way to growth regions. The most mature worldwide markets -- including North America, Western Europe, Japan and South Korea -- are yielding to other growth regions -- such as Latin America, Eastern Europe, Middle East and Africa -- where the connectivity infrastructure and distribution channels are coming of age. According to the latest market study by ABI Research, they forecast 200 million branded tablet shipments this year -- that's a 20 percent gain year-over-year from the 166 million shipments in 2013. With more choices than ever for mobile computing, consumers and businesses will weigh the role of tablets along with ultrabook PCs and large screen smartphones -- the so-called phablets -- to satisfy their communicat...

As excitement builds for the upcoming Mobile World Congress next week, an explosion of mobile internet applications -- as an example, online video entertainment consumption -- will be a key topic for discussion at the event proceedings. Despite continued growth of online video viewing on connected consumer electronics (CE) devices and expanding platform options -- such as Google Chromecast and new consoles from Microsoft and Sony -- annual increases in mobile online viewing (via tablets and smartphones) are higher than any other category. Worldwide mobile views already constitute over 20 percent of the total in 2013, and this share will continue to grow -- more than doubling during the five year forecast window, according to the latest market study by ABI Research. Pay-TV services will continue to serve as the primary video entertainment solution for many people, but overall time spent watching OTT online video is expected to pass 21 hours per month by 2019 -- that's up from ...

While it's true that more people now purchase goods and services online in America, retail sales can still be impacted by economic uncertainty and other key factors that could derail spending. Moreover, buying various consumer electronics and associated services is common during the holiday season -- so these retailer trends matter to the Technology, Media and Telecommunications sector. comScore reported holiday season U.S. retail e-commerce spending from desktop computers for the first 52 days of the November-December 2013 holiday season, showing that $42.8 billion has been spent online from desktop devices -- that's an increase of 10 percent compared to the prior year. "The final online shopping week saw considerably softer sales than anticipated -- including zero billion dollar spending days -- although Monday and Tuesday came close," said Gian Fulgoni, chairman at comScore . Strong momentum coming out of Thanksgiving, in addition to heavy weekend buying, su...

Remote controls for a variety of consumer electronics in the home will start to get smarter as they're being redesigned for much greater utility. The new features and capabilities will help to redefine the inherent usability and value that these devices provide. In 2013 10 percent of the remote controls shipped with major home consumer equipment will be RF-enabled. This is just the beginning of a new trend -- the quest for the ultimate remote control. Over the next five years there will be a major surge in RF technology adoption for remote controls as vendors look to differentiate their products -- driving growth in smart home services, according to the latest market study by ABI Research. While at the same time RF solutions continue to fall in price, implementations become more simplified and lower powers are achieved. "RF technology has been considered for use in remote controls for many years but its adoption has been limited by a lack of perceived need among device...

China is now a significant market opportunity for new connected consumer electronic devices, as more people adopt mobile internet access. Local Chinese vendors are lining up to deliver smartphones and media tablets specifically targeted at the needs and wants of this growing user population. Coolpad, Lenovo, and Xiaomi have something special in common -- all were able to beat Apple in the battle for China’s second quarter (Q2) 2013 smartphone market leadership. While Samsung retained its leading smartphone market share of 17 percent, Lenovo took second place with 13 percent, Coolpad was third with 10 percent, and Xiaomi edged out Apple with 6.5 percent share, according to the latest market study by ABI Research. "Even though these OEMs are only selling into the Chinese market, the size of the market has allowed them to achieve shipment volumes that place these OEMs in the top 12 globally," says Michael Morgan, senior analyst at ABI Research . It is not hard to imagin...

Media tablets may have reached market saturation in several markets -- particularly those made by Apple. Worldwide tablet shipment growth has slowed in the second quarter of 2013 (2Q13), according to the latest market study by International Data Corporation (IDC). Worldwide tablet shipments finally experienced a sequential decline as total volumes fell -9.7 percent from 1Q13. However, the 45.1 million units shipped in the second quarter was up 59.6 percent from the same quarter in 2012, when tablet vendors shipped 28.3 million devices. Lacking a new product launch in March to help spur shipments, Apple's iPad saw a lower-than-predicted shipment total of 14.6 million units for the quarter -- that's down from 19.5 million in 1Q13. In years past, Apple has launched a new tablet heading into the second quarter, which resulted in strong quarter-over-quarter growth. Now, Apple is expected to launch new tablet products in the second half of the year, a move that better positions...

According to findings from the latest market study by Juniper Research, new analysis has revealed a high growth surge expected in the emerging Smart Wireless Accessory sector. The new study found that shipments of app-enabled smart wireless accessories will approach 170 million by the end of 2018, compared to over 18 million this year. At that time the market will be dominated by consumer electronics (CE) and fitness accessories, although in the longer run healthcare smart wireless accessories are expected to gain most traction. Emerging Consumer Electronic Markets Juniper noted that significant growth is expected across a very wide breadth of applications, comprising areas as diverse as video eyewear, baby monitoring, home security & monitoring and TV transmission equipment. "The actual take up of CE smart wireless accessories will depend on whether companies succeed in creating accessories that will capture the imagination of the consumer," said Nitin Bhas, se...

There once was a time when Apple had been able to maintain its media tablet lead by delivering a quality experience at a premium price. But as a growing number of analyst opinions raise new doubts about ongoing leadership -- the consumer electronics (CE) brand may have lost some of its caché in the marketplace. Even though the iPad maker exited the first quarter of 2013 with a 50 percent share of all tablet shipments, the Google Android ecosystem is poised to overtake iOS -- according to the latest market study by ABI Research. The big variable for Android leadership success is progress in China. The Chinese consumer elite still seem to be upbeat about the Apple brand -- and there's a growing ability for more consumers to afford technology devices. However, the selection of smaller 7 inch Android tablets has become very popular, even though most currently lack the Google suite of apps and Android Play marketplace. Moreover, a push for sub-$200 tablets is keeping Android re...

Will 2013 be the year that robots make their mark in mainstream society? The growing market for consumer robots has already reached $1.6 billion in 2012, which is dominated by the task and entertainment segments. According to the latest market study by ABI Research, it will grow to $6.5 billion in 2017 and will still be dominated by the same segments, with security and telepresence becoming more of a significant third segment. iRobot is still the main player, but more Asian-based companies are coming out with competing products and newer products like window-cleaning robots. "We are seeing more personal robot R&D from Western companies and more task robot development from Asian companies," said Philip Solis, research director at  ABI Research . That's an apparent reversal of past development trends. Application processors and the array of sensors used in smartphones and media tablets have achieved great economies of scale for components that consumer robotic...

The global shipments of phablets are set to more than double this year, according to the latest market study by IHS iSuppli. The "phablet" -- meaning a combination of phone and tablet features into one device -- is essentially a smartphone with a very large display. Shipments of phablets in 2013 are forecast to reach 60.4 million units -- that's up a notable 136 percent from 25.6 million last year. "The move to offer larger-display smartphones reflects the efforts of both device and panel makers to differentiate their products," said Vinita Jakhanwal, director of small and medium displays at IHS iSuppli . With consumers demanding more lifelike viewing experiences, the trend to offer hybrid devices makes perfect sense. Especially considering the increase in digital multimedia content that's now being made available on smartphones. Expansion in capacity related to low-temperature polysilicon liquid crystal display (LTPS LCD), as well as the resulting r...

  As the CES 2013 event in Las Vegas approaches, let's consider the evolution of video entertainment in the home. Specifically, what are the known market drivers for connecting a television set to the internet? Moreover, what are the usage characteristics for those people that have adopted this practice. Clearly, market adoption has gained momentum in the last year. eMarketer now estimates that usage of connected TVs in American households was up by more than 25 percent in 2012, and will continue to be adopted by more Americans at double-digit rates through at least 2016. By the end of 2013, eMarketer expects 35.1 million U.S. households will have at least one television set connected to the internet, and at least one person in the household will be actively accessing the internet through that TV set on a monthly basis. The current definition of connected TV includes any television set that's connected to the internet -- whether it’s an internet-enabled Smart TV or a ...

While much of the recent market research explores in-home usage of online video from a Smart or Connected TV point of view, today the vast majority of television sets are not enabled for broadband connectivity and internet access. The growth of over-the-top (OTT) video entertainment services, such as Netflix and Hulu, is attracting attention to consumer electronics (CE) products that can support streaming media services -- while connected to a legacy TV set. One of these CE products -- the streaming media player -- has enjoyed significant growth over the past two years. Multimedia Research Group ( MRG ) has released its latest forecast on the worldwide streaming media player market. The upside market potential is significant, as more people seek ways to migrate their online video viewing from their notebook PC to their primary TV set. Streaming media players, sometimes called OTT set-top boxes or digital media adapters, consist of products such as the Apple TV, the WD TV Live, ...

Mobile Network operators -- including Vodafone, O2, Telefonica, Verizon, AT&T and Sprint -- are putting significant resources into developing Machine to Machine (M2M) related business units. There is an increasing sophistication in how the market is viewed by all stakeholders, with after-market installation being replaced by embedded mobile strategies and SMART (Self-Monitoring, Analysis, and Reporting Technology) systems. Juniper Research forecasts that M2M will support total industry revenues of over $35 billion in 2016. They also predict that revenues from products and services delivered over embedded consumer electronics (CE) devices will reach $6.4 billion in 2014, as a key anchor for the evolving M2M sector within the mobile industry. According to their latest market study, eBook sales and subscriptions will be by far the most important service offered over cellular connected consumer electronics devices. While others have emerged, such as digital photo frames and ...