Digital TV News

UK consumers say “no” to smart TV sets

Thursday 15 December, 2011

By Duncan Heaney

New study indicates many Brits find smart TVs a turn-off.

It’s fair to say smart TVs haven’t really taken off in the UK. A new survey by research firm YouGov indicates that this is unlikely to change soon.

Smart TVs connect to the internet to offer additional services, such as on-demand films, TV catch-up services, games, and more. According to YouGov’s research, more than half of UK consumers say they definitely have no plans to buy this type of TV over the next 12 months.

A quarter are sitting on the fence, unsure as to whether they’ll invest in a smart TV, and 7% confess that they don’t know what a smart TV even is. Only 4% of Britons admit that they are considering getting a smart TV in the next year, which has to be a cause for concern among television manufacturers.

The study also found that the UK is lagging behind other parts of Europe when it comes to smart TV uptake. One in ten people in the UK own a web-connected TV at present, whereas in France, 18% of the population have the technology in their homes. Denmark (15%), Sweden (13%), Finland (12%) and Germany (11%) are also ahead of the UK in terms of take-up.

YouGov pointed at video game consoles as a significant barrier to smart TV uptake in the UK. Approximately 15% of the UK has an Xbox 360 and 13% own a PlayStation 3, and these devices already offer movies on-demand and allow owners to access catch-up TV services, such as BBC iPlayer and 4OD (these services are apparently coming to Xbox in the next month or so).

It seems that affordability will be crucial if people are to embrace smart TVs. Of those who had no plans, or were unsure whether to buy one, over a quarter said the ability to pay in installments would encourage them to take the plunge. It also seems people are waiting for more content to become available - over a third said they would be persuaded if more of the TV they liked to watch was available online.

The pressure is now on manufacturers, who need to educate UK consumers as to the benefits a smart TV can provide.

Photo by Marcin Chady