Internet-Connected TVs to Reach 600 Million by 2017

Nearly 600 million televisions will be connected to the Internet by 2017, which is up from the 212 million expected at the end of this year, according to a new report from Digital TV Research.

The Connected TV Forecasts report, which covers 40 countries, finds that this global connected-TV total translates to 21.4 percent of all TV sets by 2017. This is up from the 4.7 percent recorded at the end of 2010 and the 8.9 percent forecast for the end of 2012.

The U.S. contributed 48 million to the 2010 total of 105 million, accounting for 45 percent of the global total. This will grow to 78 million in 2012, or 37 percent, and 147 million by 2017, representing just 25 percent. China will have 93 million connected TV sets by 2017, up from the 2 million recorded in 2010. Japan, which in 2010 held second place with 13 million, will drop to third in 2017, with 43 million. The U.S. will have the highest penetration of TV sets by 2017, at 38.1 percent, followed by Norway with 37.7 percent and South Korea with 37.2 percent.