Global sales of connected TV devices could reach record levels this quarter, according to Strategy Analytics.
The research firm is expecting sales of more than 111 million units, representing 32% growth over the previous quarter and 6% compared to the fourth quarter 2019. With both PlayStation and Xbox releasing their next-generation hardware in 2020, games consoles are expected to be the fastest growing device. Strategy Analytics said fourth quarter sales should grow by 150% compared to the previous quarter.
The firm said that growth in media streamers will be 42% and smart TVs 9%. Fourth quarter sales will bring full year 2020 sales to 315.6 million units, an increase of 6% on the 2019 level and the highest ever total.
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The report predicts that Amazon will be the leading vendor in the fourth quarter, with sales of 12.8 million connected TV devices. Samsung and Sony are each expected to sell around 12 million devices, while LG and Nintendo will sell close to 7 million. By the end of 2020, Strategy Analytics predicts that there will be nearly 1.3 billion connected TV devices in use worldwide.
“Demand for smart TVs, streamers and consoles has held up remarkably well after a year of such enormous challenges,” said Chirag Upadhyay, analyst for connected home devices at Strategy Analytics, in a statement. “Supply chain issues were overcome relatively quickly, and consumers have demonstrated that they are keen to stay up-to-date with the latest technologies in order to get the best possible video and TV streaming experience.”
“For many people, streaming video and TV are increasingly the default options when they switch on the big screen,” says David Watkins, director of connected home devices, in a statement. “Smart TVs are fast becoming the first-choice gateway to the fast expanding world of video-on-demand and internet TV services, and streamers and consoles are a great choice for those who want to upgrade an existing TV.”