In a way, smart TVs, which connect viewers to the internet and programs like NetFlix and Youtube, have already been invented through systems such as PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. The major difference between those and the ones debuting Monday at the International Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas is the absence of a gaming console, the New York Times reported.
It's about time TVs gave consumer something different. According to the Times, the industry had "innovated itself into a corner," allowing consumers to purchase 50-inch models with high definition for a few hundred dollars - and avoid only slightly more advanced versions (like OLED and Ultra HD) at a much greater cost.
"A lot of these TV manufacturers grew up thinking they understand why people watch TV," James L. McQuivey, a research analyst, told the Times. "They came to the wrong conclusion. All of these TV makers were trying to outdo each other with this thing called quality."
Indeed, 22 percent of televisions purchased in 2013 were smart compared to 11 percent in 2012, based on an NPD Group poll reported by the Times.
Smart TVs eliminate the need for one's laptop and its special connecting cord for broadcasting online media onto higher resolution screens.
"Consumers are telling us they're more interested in connected" televisions, said Benjamin Arnold, an analyst at the research company, NPD Group.
Smart TVs already on the market have built-in online programs like Netflix; those debuting newer versions at the show will boast more programs and apps.
A variety of features is at the heart of Roku's business model. According to the California-based smart TV maker's chief executive, Anthony Wood, the company has a monopoly on apps (over 1,200 available) rival companies don't have because of media company's reluctance to convert their products to every individual smart TV model, the Times reported.
"Our strategy is to be the dominant platform on the big screen," Mr. Wood said in an interview.
Roku will still have to compete with electronics giant, Samsung, and their insistence on pairing smart TVs with the latest screen technology, such as three dimensions, more pixels, OLED, ultra-HD, and curved screens. At this point, however, those advancements haven't translated into sales.
