Following the release by BSkyB of Sky+, a new integrated personal video recorder, Datamonitor foresees rapid uptake of new set top boxes across Europe. Datamonitor predicts that by 2005, 48% of set top boxes will include PVR technology. 42% of households with digital TV are also forecast to have more than one set top box or integrated digital TV.
Over the coming year, Datamonitor predicts that many other European digital operators will launch similar services to Sky+, boosting revenues through subscriptions, pay-per-view content and even reduced-price secondary subscriptions as demand grows.
Datamonitor analyst Chris Tant commented “The STB [Set Top Box] and IDTV [Integrated Digital TV] market is set to experience huge growth over coming years, with over 100 million device sales in western Europe from 2001 to 2005. At the same time, manufacturers will be forced to move their focus from broadcasters to consumers and to develop broad product portfolios; ranging from low-cost decoders aimed at free-to-air viewers to advanced multimedia devices complementing pay-TV services.”
