Date: 29/01/2012

100 million hybrid STBs to ship in 2015

In-Stat has forecasted that 100 million hybrid STBs will ship in 2015. In-Stat says as television services begin employing applications that are Internet-connected, we see hybrid set top boxes emerging as a key growth driver for the global set top box industry.

"As the STB industry continues its forward march, the next logical iteration is for the set top box to enhance and expand traditional TV-related services by permitting access to content from the Internet, or from Internet-like web services that provide a 'walled garden' of authorized content," says Gerry Kaufhold, Research Director. "By combining traditional TV services with 'enhancements' that come in via broadband, content owners and service providers think they can successfully compete with all the emerging over-the-top approaches."

Some of the research findings include:
Over 23 million hybrid STBs will ship in North America in 2012
The Asia Pacific annual revenue will approach $1.5 billion in 2015
Satellite hybrid STBs will represent 58% of the hybrid STB market in 2013