Internet connected TVs to reach 596 million by 2017

PanARMENIAN.Net - The number of TV connections to the Internet will hit 596 million by 2017, up from 105 million at end-2010 and the 212 million expected at end-2012, according to fresh research, The Hollywood Reporter said.

The report, published by Digital TV Research, covers 40 territories and notes the U.S. contributed 48 million to the 2010 total or 45 percent of the global total, and is expected to grow to 78 million in 2012, or 37 percent and 147 million by 2017, repping only 25 percent of the global total.

According to the research, China will have 93 million connected TVs by 2017, up from just two million at end-2010.

China's growth will push Japan, currently in second place in 2010 with 13 million to third spot in 2017 with 43 million predicted.

This global connected TV total translates to 21.4 percent of global TV sets by 2017, up from only 4.7 percent at end-2010 and 8.9 percent by end-2012.

The U.S. will have the highest penetration of TV sets by 2017 – at 38.1 percent, closely followed by Norway (37.7 percent) and South Korea (37.2 percent).