Set To Get Smarter

Smart TVs have been around for a while but haven’t made it mainstream. Offering a number of Internet-connected services just as smartphones do though perhaps not as intuitively, televisions have become a part of the connected devices available to us.

These feature-rich TVs enable access to online social media content, on-demand video streaming services, access to the Web, and local content right in your living room. Usually loaded with an ecosystem or a platform, they allow the installation of apps and games on the TV via a store.
Today several brands like Samsung, LG, Sony and Panasonic offer a wide range of smart TVs. Most give access to social networking sites like Facebook, Twitter and even allow you to have video chats via Skype and other VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) services.

The most interesting feature, however, is the ability to stream video content. Apps like YouTube give access to movies, TV shows, sports, etc. for free or at a monthly subscription. Recently, Netflix — the popular video streaming service — entered India which again can be directly accessed on smart TVs. Apart from consuming video content, some smart TVs can run games installed from the in-built app store and be played using bundled or third party accessories.

Then there are Internet-enabled TV sets that offer some basic features like connecting your smartphone or tablet to access local content like videos, photos and music and also mirror the display of your mobile device. Usually costing just 10-20 per cent more than ones that don’t offer ‘smart’ features, smart TVs have become accessible and are in really affordable models from brands that may not have as reputable as the ones mentioned above, but that still offer the capability and features of a smart TV.

Slow to Grow
The adoption of smart TVs has been disappointingly slow with one of the major obstacles being access to the Internet. More than half of the smart TVs sold back in 2015 are not even connected to the Internet and the ones that are, have not been used to the fullest.

Smart TVs and Internet-enabled TVs either come with an in-built Wi-Fi receiver or a traditional Ethernet LAN port, allowing you to plug it directly into your broadband router. Buying a smart TV only makes sense, if one has a fast Internet connection as all of these services, especially video streaming require good bandwidth for smooth playback. One also has to keep in mind data limitations of plans because data consumption while streaming videos at HD or full HD resolution will be definitely high.

Another crucial reason for consumers not opting for a smart TV is the interface. One would take time to get used to operating a smart TV as some just aren’t very user friendly. Most can get really difficult to navigate, especially when you only get a standard TV remote. Inputting words with such a remote is cumbersome.

“When my old TV gave up the ghost, I decided to buy a smart TV,” said Nitish Sharma, a recent smart TV consumer. “I have spent a good Rs 67,000 for it. But after the thrill of seeing my phone’s screen on television wore off, I didn’t really know what to do with it. Nor was it easy to work with, the menu and all that. Very complicated, in fact,” he added.

Limited Play
Though available, the apps and games are limited, not to mention difficult to use on smart TVs because of limited memory. So, one is restricted to installing a small number of apps. Google has deployed its own TV OS called Android TV, to bring in the vast Android ecosystem onto the TV, but original equipment manufacturers (OEM) still seem to shy away and prefer their proprietary platforms.

Security and privacy issues remain untracked for smart TVs. Accessing social media or browsing the Web on a large screen may look enticing, but these TVs don’t offer the same kind of security measures that one gets on a personal computer or a smartphone. And to be honest, who wants to scroll through their Facebook timeline in front of their whole family?

Consumers are, however, opting for third party devices like Internet-based set-top boxes (Apple TV, Android TV), gaming consoles, chromecast and other streaming devices that basically add features similar to a smart TV and keep them connected. These devices do require Internet access and have their own operating systems, but have proven to provide better content and a much better user experience.

Smarter In 2016
So where is the future of smart TV headed? TV makers will continue to bring in new features and will not stop at any cost. Gartner predicts that by 2018, 87 per cent of the TVs shipped annually will be smart TVs and 76 per cent of connected home apps will be accessible from them.

The recent CES 2016 (Consumer Electronics Show) held at Las Vegas saw brands like LG and Samsung updating their smart TV line with upgraded features. LG, for instance, announced webOS 3.0, the OS that power its smart TV range, and confirmed that it will showcase upcoming time slots with programme information by analysing viewing patterns of the user. This could be a game changer as users will be fed with relevant content. The new smart OLED range of televisions will also feature an IoTV app, which will allow users to control their smart home appliances with on-screen controls.

Samsung also announced a new range, which will be loaded with new features, including console-less gaming where consumers will be able to stream and download more than 500 games from the PlayStation Now network app. Samsung is also expanding its range of apps and access to new 4K content since that has been one of the biggest failures so far for UHD televisions. The new line will also offer a universal remote that will allow seamless switching between streaming and regular TV and let you control other connected devices around your home.

Sachin Rai, head of BRAVIA Television category, Sony India, says, “We believe the future of smart TVs in 2016 holds tremendous potential and will majorly contribute to the overall consumer tech industry. Last year, we launched the Sony Android TV and received an overwhelming response. We expect 2016 to get even better. Consumers today can seamlessly use alternative devices and enjoy content on TV and these technological advancements are expected to flourish in 2016. We continue to innovate and build on Sony’s indigenous solutions like Serial Ab Tak and advanced Voice Search and introduce them for 2016 new line up.”

Smart TVs are expected to become even more personalised in the coming years. Apart from understanding usage patterns and offering content recommendations, which LG and Samsung are already working on, smart TVs could also start offering user profiles, which will bring an improvement in targeting audience with relevant ads. This might be annoying for some consumers, but in reality it will streamline the process of advertising and marketing. Smart TVs are also trying to become the source of all operations for the future connected home, like a control center for all the connected devices.