Android TV, including Google TV, has more than doubled its share of new TV shipments since the beginning of 2019, according to market research firm Omdia.
Fire TV and Roku are popular TV platforms in North America but not really in Europe. Although Roku has managed to get a foot in the door, the European Smart TV market is increasingly a three-horse race between Google's Android TV (Google TV), LG's webOS, and Samsung's Tizen.
The market data was shared on stage by Paul Gray, TV and video technology analyst at Omdia, ahead of IFA in Berlin at the 2022 Philips TV event. FlatpanelsHD was in attendance.
Paul Gray, Omdia, presents data on TV platform shipment share for Europe. Photo: FlatpanelsHD
As shown on the graph, more than 90% of new TVs shipped now come with some form of TV platform for apps and connected services built in, up from approximately 80% in 2019. During the same time period, Android TV has grown its share of new TV shipments from less than 10% to over 20%.
The data does not include external players such as Apple TV, Chromecast, Fire TV, Nvidia Shield, PlayStation, Roku, and Xbox, and it relates only to new TV shipments – not TV platforms in active use.
Android TV has been a "consistent growth story" and Paul Gray pointed to availability across TV ranges from entry-level to high-end, even down to 32 inches, as well as network effects for both developers and consumers as key reasons. LG's webOS and Samsung's Tizen do not enjoy a strong position in mobile or other relevant segments.
The third streaming wave
As Smart TVs take over, the "third streaming wave" is beginning to emerge. Paul Gray pointed out that "cloud gaming will dwarf consoles", which is potentially a huge opportunity for TV makers and platform holders.
Amazon Luna, Google Stadia, GeForce Now, Xbox and other game streaming services are already available and are starting to appear in Smart TVs as apps.
Omdia sees cloud gaming as the third streaming wave. Photo: FlatpanelsHD
With cloud gaming, consumers can get started playing some of the latest and greatest games with just a subscription plan, a built-in app, and a compatible game controller.
Omdia sees the World Cup 2022 in Qatar as a catalyst for TV sales in the second half of 2022 but predicts a tough 2023 ahead before the market steadily recovers between 2024 and 2026.
