And we’re not talking about streaming boxes or dongles here
The Android TV and Google TV platforms haven’t exactly been a hit in the US, a market that is dominated by older, maybe even slower TVs revived by Roku boxes and Amazon Fire TV sticks. Data from last year showed that Fire TV tripled its US market share in OTT dongles over a six-year period between 2015 and the first quarter of 2021, tying with Roku. But Google may have something to cheer about after all, at least in Europe.
Data provided by research firm Omdia and reported on by FlatPanelsHD reveals the significant growth in shipments of Android TV panels — not dongles or boxes, mind you, but proper TVs — across Europe, establishing a decent foothold in the region’s smart TV market. Since early 2019, Google’s smart TV platforms have grown from under 10% to well over 20% market share, Omdia’s research shows.
Over 90% of new televisions shipped across Europe include a dedicated platform for apps, a sizable increase from the 80% recorded in 2019. The smart TV segment is currently led by Google TV/Android TV, LG webOS, and Samsung’s Tizen OS.
Omdia analyst Paul Gray says Android TV’s growth in Europe can be attributed to a wide selection of TVs available across multiple price segments, which includes both premium offerings and cheaper entry-level televisions. The vast ecosystem of apps and games accessible via the Play Store may also be a factor in Google’s surge in the European smart TV segment.
Predicting the future of the smart TV segment, Gray said that a “third streaming wave” could be upon us involving cloud gaming. This is a reference to emerging cloud gaming services such as Amazon Luna, GeForce NOW, Xbox Cloud Gaming, and of course, Google Stadia, which has had its share of ups and downs since its launch.
Omdia speculates that the controversial 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar could drive television sales for the latter part of 2022. However, the research firm expects things to get slightly tougher in 2023 before regaining momentum between 2024 and 2026.
