The number of households with HDTV service are projected to grow from 15 million in mid-2006 to 20.3 million at the end of 2006, according to a new study from In-Stat.
The high-tech market research firm says that this growth is tempered by the fact that it is occurring in a relatively small number of countries. However, it also points out that several new countries introduced HDTV service this year.
As of mid-2006, the US and Japan accounted for 91% of all worldwide HDTV households. Other countries with significant numbers of HDTV households include Canada, Australia, and South Korea.
The number of worldwide HDTV households is expected to spike over the next few years as new markets for HD services open up. In-Stat forecasts that by the end of 2009, the number of HDTV households will exceed 55 million.
However, In-Stat says that in the US there is still a “disconnect” between HD services and the penetration of HDTV sets. Currently, only one-third of US households with HD-capable TV sets are actually using them to watch HD programming.
Mike Paxton, In-Stat analyst, said: “Consumer demand to see the World Cup in HD served as a catalyst for the start of HDTV services in several European countries. In addition, select TV households in countries like China, Singapore, and Mexico can now also get HDTV service.”
PricewaterhouseCoopers’ Global Entertainment and Media Outlook: 2006-2010 said that HDTV, along with digital video recorders and digital television, will enhance the appeal of TV in the US over the next four years, which will lead to increased viewership and advertising (see Solid Growth Forecast For Media Industry).
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