IPTV set-top market 'is set to soar'

[BGonaSTICK]

Global sales of IPTV set-top boxes will soar to 7.9m units in 2007, a growth rate of 111%, according to US research and consulting group Strategy Analytics. The company's report, IPTV Set-Tops: SD, HD and DVR—Global Market Forecast, predicts that more than 3m HD-enabled IPTV set-top boxes will be sold in Europe alone this year.

Strategy Analytics said the share of digital TV recorders was also growing rapidly, rising to 29% of the global market this year from 15% in 2006 as IPTV newcomers sought to compete with satellite and cable incumbents.

"In our view, any IPTV system that does not have, or is not planning for, HDTV upgrades will not be competitive in the long term," said Strategy Analytics' Peter King.

"DVR functionality is also becoming an increasingly important competitive tool in the battle for new customers."

Strategy Analytics predicts that annual worldwide sales of IPTV set-top boxes will reach 33.5m by 2012, by which time the global installed base will be 112m units. Asia-Pacific will be the dominant market, accounting for 45% of the installed base, followed by Europe (33%) and the US (13%).