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Day 6 - IFA International

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Market & Technology

Market & Technology Trends Highlight from the DisplaySearch What’s Next For Connected TVs? Paul Gray, Director European TV Research, DisplaySearch In the second session of the DisplaySearch 2011 Business Conference at IFA, titled Tablet Meets TV, Paul Gray, Director European TV Research, DisplaySearch kicked off the presentation with his view of what smart TVs really are. “We have seen clear evidence this year that connected or smart TVs are very big this year, but given that they were first introduced four years ago, it has been a slow-burn process,” he said. “At root, it’s a simple idea that really depends what is done with it.” Gray then pointed out some fundamental regional differences: “In the US connected TVs are mainly about pay VOD and their connectivity has the potential to replace cable and satellite services, whereas in Europe the emphasis is much more on VOD and Catch-up TV, and in China it’s mainly VOD,” he said. “And Japan is a very different case, with a combination of simulcasting, VOD and Pay VOD. What I am sure that we’ll be seeing in the future given the fact that all regions are embracing VOD, is apps for Pay VOD services.” There are, however, plenty of other services competing for a slice of the home entertainment market, including Google TV, Apple TV and Hulu. “When you see the predictions that by 2015 85% of all TVs in Europe will be connected, and that by the same time 51% of all TVs in the world will be smart, clearly this is an exciting field,” he said. “And when you add in broadband penetration rates in China, and the fact that 70% of all homes in Moscow now have broadband, there is huge potential.” But already the market is fragmenting, with connectable TVs now available across multiple price-points and with a variety of screen sizes, plus a clear trend among branded set-makers to set up their own portals. “Alongside the TV manufacturers you also have companies like WalMart who saw that their DVD business was disappearing and bought vudu which is doing very well indeed,” Gray said. “But for me, a real smart TV is able to escape those walled gardens. It’s important to ignore the labels and concentrate on what the TVs can do.” Euan Smith, Executive Vice-President Product & Operations, Sky Deutschland, explained what the Skygo service offers. “We launched the service in April and we are very happy with the response from our 2.75 million subscribers,” he said. “Skygo is available anywhere on any device you might want to consume it on. And users only need one password for everything. We did this because our customers expected it of us and in fact they want to have more choice, plus more control of where, when, and how they watch that content.” Smith also pointed out a fundamental truth: “There is no more mass audience grouped around a single TV set in the lounge. These days it’s all about being mobile and having fun,” he said. “Instead what we now have is an audience with very high expectations, made up of individuals who want their content to be ubiquitous, and they want a smooth handover from one device to another.” “By 2015, 85% of all TVs in Europe will be connected, and by the same time 51% of all TVs in the world will be smart…” Enhanced Viewing And Emerging Market Niches Will Drive TV Sales Paul Semenza, Senior Vice-President of Analyst Services, DisplaySearch It is not just techno-logical innovations that will continue to drive the TV market, but also filling niches in emerging markets. This was the message from Paul Semenza, Senior Vice-President of Analyst Services at DisplaySearch, speaking at the third session of the IFA DisplaySearch Business Conference on Monday, entitled TV Into The Future: Enhancing The Home Experience. With HD-TV sets satisfying the demands of many consumers, "TV set-makers have a dilemma”, Semenza said. "However, our research shows that consumers are still open to enhancement in picture quality. Meanwhile, in emerging markets, initiatives to cater for niches such as improved sound and power innovations can substantially drive sales." According to statistics from market-research company NPD, 3D-TV sets could represent 35% of 20

Market & Technology Trends Business Conference at IFA the market globally by 2015, reaching as high as 45% in Western Europe. "TV setmakers want to do 3D and are pushing 3D aggressively in all markets,” Semenza added. “3D gaming will become a significant factor in driving 3D set sales from 2012, when Microsoft will introduce a 3D interface and 3D controller for the XBox, with games coming on to the market that exploit the added games control. 3D games are really powerful and immersive. They make games more playable and will be extremely important in driving 3D." Pumping up the resolution with enhanced realism is an irresistible trend. "Broadcasters NHK and the BBC are looking at 3840x2120 [4K2K] being established by 2020 and Sharp is at IFA with the world's first 7680x4320 [8K4K] TV set. Watching the images on this set gives an uncanny feeling of depth that is almost like natural 3D." Wi-Fi Direct, which enabling plug-and-play operation, will also be a market driver, according to Semenza: "The setting up of wireless devices should be simple. LG has already put Wi-Fi Direct into smartphones and Bluray players." By appealing to niches in emerging markets, meanwhile, TV manufacturers have succeeded in selling significantly more sets. “India is one of the loudest countries I have visited and LG's Jazz LCD for that market has a 500W sound output and sub-woofer," Semenza said. "When Toshiba launched the Power TV with a twohour battery back-up for the Indonesian market, where there are regular power outages, its market share jumped 20%." 3D Tile Format Meets Market in Italian DTV Trial The results of a survey monitoring feedback from a sample of 3D DTV viewers in Italy was revealed by Sisvel Technology CEO Paolo d'Amato at the IFA DisplaySearch Business Conference on Monday. DTV trials of Sisvel's 3D Tile Format have been broadcast by regional broadcaster Quartarete in Italy's Piedmont region since last December. A panel of 200 private and professional viewers were provided with set-top boxes (STBs) for a free six month trial. The 3D Tile Format provides DTV and digital satellite broadcasters with the possibility to broadcast a 3D signal that is backwards compatible with the large majority — some 78% — of 2D sets. Taking into account the pioneering efforts of the Quartarete production team, which was “learning on the job”, d'Amato reported that the results were very positive. "One of the promising discoveries is the potential of 3D TV for advertisers,” he said. “After documentaries and sports, viewers found 3D most effective for advertising." 3D movies were not screened during the trial period. "Amongst the drawbacks was that 3D requires the full attention of the viewer and is therefore not suitable for viewing in the kitchen with 3D glasses on,” d’Amato said. The 3D Tile Format’s flexibility between 2D and 3D viewing and the evaluation of image quality was particularly appreciated, with 76% of the respondents saying that the image quality was satisfactory. The trial is now Paolo d'Amato CEO, Sisvel Technology “After documentaries and sports, viewers found 3D most effective for advertising” being extended to a second regional broadcaster in Tuscany and to a Europewide channel on the Astra satellite. Read more on @ cleverdis.org www.ifa-international.org IFA International • Wednesday 7 th September 2011 21

IFA International