At the age of the “Internet of thing”, shipments of IP-enabled consumer electronics reached 64 million units in 2007, according to a new report from industry analyst group MultiMedia Intelligence. By 2012, MultiMedia Intelligence projects over 217 million internet-enabled consumer electronics will be shipping annually.
IP connectivity is being adopted across a variety of consumer electronic devices, those technologies used in the "multimedia-networked home". Game consoles already represent a consumer installed base of 55 million internet-enabled devices. Similar internet connectivity is emerging across IPTV, cable, and satellite set top boxes, as well as a new class of internet-enabled TVs and digital media adapters. Finally, advanced HD and Blu-ray DVD players will grow to be among the largest segments of internet-connected devices predict the analysts.
According to MultiMedia Intelligence, the utopia of internet and consumer generated digital content flowing seamlessly through the home and among devices is still years away, as several barriers to market remain.
