Shipments of Internet-enabled devices are projected to hit 503.6 million units in 2013, up from 161 million in 2010. In comparison, PC shipments will hover around 253.3 million, up from 222.3 million.
By 2015, however, shipments of Internet-enabled consumer devices are projected to break three-quarters of a billion units – at 780.8 million units – exceeding PC shipments of 479.1 million units.
“These new figures are the latest evidence that the Internet is not just for PCs anymore. The Internet now is revolutionizing the consumer electronics business by delivering a range of products that can bring web-based content to homes,” IHS analyst Jordan Selburn told TG Daily in an e-mailed statement.
“Increasingly, each Internet-enabled consumer electronics device is vying to become the center of what is known as the digital living room, aggregating content throughout the home and serving up movies, television programs, videos and music. In the future, consumers will be more likely to access the Internet through their televisions than via their PCs.”
According to Selburn, examples of Internet-enabled devices include televisions, Blu-ray players, game consoles, set-top boxes, digital media adapters and media tablets.
Excluded from this category are other devices that can connect to the Internet like PCs and smartphones – which are tracked separately as data processing and wireless communications equipment.
As expected, the meteoric 50% rise in the shipments of Internet-enabled consumer electronics devices will be led by media tablets – such as Apple’s iPad – which remains on track to become the fastest-growing segment within the space.
“The media tablet appears to be the device that will pull customers into the era of the digitally connected home. It allows users to enjoy media – and not just content stored locally on the device or for viewing on the included display.
“With the right hardware, for example, consumers also can push music from an iPad to an audio system, or drive video to a large-screen display. And with other vendors beginning to support Apple’s proprietary AirPlay standard, the media tablet will be one of the first devices to fully integrate into the connected home,” added Selburn.
