Parks Associates Sees Greater Use of Voice in Smart TVs
Makers of smart TVs and streaming media players are shifting strategies to focus on the user experience (UX), with a growing emphasis on voice interfaces as device sales start to flatten out, according to Parks Associates' "Market Snapshot - Smart TVs & the User Experience" report.
The research found that 45 percent of U.S. broadband households have a smart TV and 11 percent intend to buy a 4K/Ultra HD TV this holiday season. But, overall, device sales of flat-panel TVs have flattened out, according to Jennifer Kent, director of research quality and product development at Parks Associates, in a statement.
"As a result, we are seeing new partnerships among device manufacturers focused on ways to improve or refresh the UI of the smart TV, to make the device easy to use and a single point of content in the living room," she said in a statement.
The Market Snapshot notes that consumer demand is pushing voice into the connected entertainment area. More than half of U.S. broadband households find voice control appealing for entertainment and smart home devices, and voice control for all devices, including TVs, security systems, and appliances, scores well among consumers when testing use cases.
"Voice recognition and control are enabling entertainment equipment manufacturers to improve the user experience. An emphasis on a voice-enabled UX will be a key trend in connected [consumer electronics] for 2018," said Dina Abdelrazik, a research analyst at Parks Associates, in a statement. "In 2016, U.S. consumers bought an estimated 14 million voice-controlled smart speakers with personal assistants, and companies such as Roku, TiVo, and Comcast have debuted voice-enabled remote controls. We expect to see more voice innovations in streaming services and connected platforms at [the Consumer Electronics Show] this year."