News Industry Pulse -
News Industry Pulse - Jürgen Boyny GFK’S LATEST US SURVEY HIGHLIGHTS GLOBAL TRENDS IN TV VIEWING HABITS 28% of all TV viewing in the US is now streaming according to a new GfK MRI report Indeed, as consumers embrace and experiment with a host of new ways of watching TV content, the GfK MRI report has identified six new TV viewing audience groups and how they combine emerging and traditional options for TV use. Jürgen Boyny The Global Director Consumer Electronics, GfK Retail and Technology TV Share of Clock – the first of four studies in GfK MRI’s new The Future of TV series – shows that more than a quarter (28%) of all TV viewing is now done via digital streaming. Accessing subscription or free online platforms via a computer or mobile device accounts for 16% of time spent with TV content; online streaming through a traditional TV set makes up another 9%; and 3% comes from other methods for accessing content, such as portable game consoles. The new report also reveals that 41% of TV viewers are “Digital Enthusiasts,” who subscribe to at least three digital TV services online, as well as maintain a traditional pay TV subscription (cable/ satellite/telco). In addition, TV Share of Clock testifies to the growing importance of mobile TV watching; 30% of TV viewers report watching a program on a smartphone in the past 30 days, and 29% say they have used a tablet to watch TV content in the same time frame. Overall, smartphones and tablets account for 8% of all TV time; and the average number of apps used to view TV programs in the past 30 days is about 7 for mobile devices. The Global Director Consumer Electronics, GfK Retail and Technology gives us the latest rundown on industry trends - in the run up to IFA 2015. What is the general industry sentiment - in the various technical consumer goods markets - as we approach IFA 2015? General sentiment is positive overall, but different industry by industry. The mobile internet hardware and software industry is in good shape, but TV & video shows many more challenges. Audio is positive by picking up the chance of connectivity. Small and domestic appliances are positive as well Mobile is booming, but within this, what are the “extra sweet spots”? Mobile devices that have existed before as single devices are now getting connected. This is a great chance for growth. Two examples for that: Action Cams in the photo area and Docking Speakers in the portable audio segment. Also, within this boom in overall sales, the dynamic between the key players is changing considerably, with big Chinese manufacturers picking up pace and more traditional ones struggling… What’s really going on here? There is a continuous move in the brands landscape for electronic devices. More than 20 years ago the market has been driven by European players, then we have seen a tremendous shift to Japanese brands, 10 years ago Koreans came up and today the Chinese are ready to take over a more important role. At least this is the game… everyone is challenged; we cannot expect a continuous stability in markets, which are driven by innovations, fast lifecycles and cost pressure. Where is the TV market headed in Europe? What about worldwide? Western Europe is stable in consumer demand; Central Europe still has options for growth by additional household penetration of second TV equipment. In Eastern Europe, mainly Russia and Ukraine we expect a tremendous decrease of consumer demand in 2015. Worldwide there are still great opportunities for a growing TV market if we have a look to South East Asia, India and Africa. What are your thoughts on the onset of the smart home? Smart Home will be the next big thing in electronics. Already seen in entertainment devices and even small domestic appliances, the idea of connectivity will swap over to our daily lives at home. Basic points however have to be taken into consideration in the smart home: • usage has to be convenient and flexible • the consumer wants to keep control of everything • Smart home has to be safe and reliable What are you seeing as being the main dynamic changes to the major domestic appliance markets? We see still an ongoing trend towards energy efficiency and also major domestic appliances are getting smart and connected. And small appliances? They are getting smart and connected as well. And this is the sector, where robots have already started when we have a look to vacuum cleaners. What will be “different” this year at IFA compared to previous years? IFA 2015 will be again a great show of innovations. Main topics will be smart, connected and last but not least the Internet of Things. 10
News Gazing Into The Crystal Screen IHS principal analyst Paul Gray talks about current TV market trends in the run up to IFA What is the general industry sentiment - in the world’s TV markets - as we approach IFA 2015? It’s a tough year! The rise of the US Dollar compared to almost all currencies has put the focus onto profitability. Margins are thin at the best of times, and consumers will notice higher prices this year. Emerging markets, which are the engines of growth nowadays tend to be hit harder as spendable incomes are lower. However, consumers continue to buy bigger TVs and the average screen size sold rises by about an inch each year – even in emerging markets. This means that there is still a need for investment in new LCD display capacity. Where are the “sweet spots” - in terms of product category? That’s easy: anything with 4K! Overall its screen sizes of 48” and larger. 4K is evolving fast from simply being more pixels to adding exciting new technologies like high dynamic range and deep colour. There is a rush to get the standardization finished, but I think we can expect some aggressive launches of services later this year or early next. Typically when 3% of households have a technology then it becomes interesting to offer services. We are reaching that point now with 4K TV. Which geographic zones are doing the best? Actually it’s Western Europe that’s doing best at present, with a gradual but definite recovery over the past year. Emerging markets were very strong a year ago (particularly Brazil with the World Cup) but have been hit hard by currency issues. The dynamic between the key players is changing considerably, with big Chinese manufacturers like TCL picking up pace and more traditional ones being hit by this… What’s really going on here? Indeed, we are seeing a fundamental shift in the industry. Japanese companies are increasingly concentrating on the high end and selective markets. At the same time the Chinese brands have mastered the technology and have reached the point like Korea 15 years ago where they have Paul Gray IHS principal analyst a demanding home market to act as a test-bed for new ideas. Chinese consumers are now the world’s early adopters. Chinese companies are now seeking to grow by addressing export markets, just like the Koreans in the 1990s and the Japanese in the 1970s. However, there are a lot of core technologies that the Koreans and Japanese retain mastery – these are usually in components and subsystems which go into the TVs. What are your thoughts on the onset of the smart home? As always, don’t forget the people. Any smart home product has to offer either a big gain or minimal pain to adopt it (real hit products combine both!) Interoperability is key, along with clearly identifiable benefits. It’s tricky, because we typically replace appliances haphazardly yet each replacement has to provide a benefit. Some of the current offerings seem to require too much advanced thought and planning to use them. What will be “different” this year at IFA compared to previous years? I’m really excited about UHD TV – with all the trimmings. The biggest thing I’m looking forward to are wearables though. It’s amazing the effect that they can have on people’s overall health and quality of life. ADVERTORIAL Energy Innovation Dialogues Invitation to participate in E.ON’s MicroConferences @ IFA In line with their motto “Empowering customers. Shaping markets.” E.ON is presenting innovative energy solutions and promising business initiatives: With E.ON SolarComfort satellite data is used in order to determine whether the installation of solar panels will pay-off for the user. An intelligent software solution calculates what revenues one can expect. Thermondo digitalises the process to find out the best possible replacement for one’s old heating and combines this with the highest standards of installation. The :agile program presents start-ups powered by E.ON. Connected Berlin makes the idea of a smart city become reality. E-mobility will be made easier with innovative appliances for the home. The initiators are happy to share information and new ideas with visitors at E.ON’s MicroConferences that will take place from September 4 through September 9, 2015, daily at 11am, 12pm, 1pm, 2pm and 3pm - Hall 6.2, booth 110. Find out more at www.eon.com www.ifa-international.org IFA International • Monday 31 st August 2015 11
