CNBC

It's still early days for the new Apple TV, which started shipping Oct. 30. The new device has an upgraded remote and app store that allows gaming, live sporting events and Siri-enabled search.

Sales of the older model had previously trailed competitors such as Roku, Amazon Fire TV and Google's Chromecast, according to separate research by Parks Associates. But Slice's new study indicates the tables have turned: With the addition of the new Apple TV, Apple has the largest sh ...read more

The Smart Changing Pad, temporarily discounted to $199 and slated to ship in December, is one of a series smart devices aimed at young parents. Kodak, for instance, released a high-definition baby monitor app on Thursday.

Parents with children under 18 are twice as likely to have smart home products, according to an August survey of 4,043 adults released by Coldwell Banker brand and CNET. Parents with children at home are also more likely to access online health portals and ...read more

Indeed, Apple TV trails Roku and Google for most-used streaming devices, according to research firm Parks Associates, while it is almost neck and neck with Amazon's Fire devices. By offering lower-priced, basic models such as the Fire Stick, Roku and Amazon have been able to rapidly meet and surpass Apple's market share, said Barbara Kraus, director of research at Parks Associates.

While the lower-end sticks and more powerful cube models each take about half the market now, ...read more

In addition to live programming, the service will also include video-on-demand programming, as well as content from Maker Studios, the YouTube content producer that Disney purchased last year. And in a departure from the way TV bundles are typically sold—with a cable box or satellite TV antenna, and some sort of commitment—this service requires no hardware and no commitment. It doesn't entirely cut the likes of Comcast out of the equation, as users still need to pay for Internet ...read more

Streaming media devices have become more common, and the choices are growing. This year, Roku is still the leading brand, but Google Chromecast has taken Apple TV's place as runner-up, according to a survey by research firm Parks Associates.

Parks reported that Roku accounted for about half of streaming media players and that Apple had 26 percent market share last year but that the launches of Google Chromecast and Amazon Fire TV had changed the score.

Ten percent of U.S ...read more

Through it all, Roku has sold as many devices in the past 18 months as it did in the previous five years, announcing in September that it's topped 10 million total units. According to a July report from Parks Associates, 44 percent of U.S. homes with a streaming device use Roku, topping Apple's 26 percent.

From the article "Roku thrives despite Amazon, Apple, Google pressure" by Ari Levy.

Demand is picking up. Sales in eight major categories of networked home products — led by lights, thermostats and video cameras — are expected to reach 25 million units and $3.5 billion by 2018, up from 11 million units and $1.4 billion last year, according to Parks Associates, a research firm.

From the article "Quirky to Create a Smart-Home Products Company" by Steve Lohr, The New York Times.

According to the Consumer Electronics Association, Internet-connected Smart TVs represent one of the fastest growing categories in the industry.

In their Global Digital Living Forecast Workbook from March 2014, Parks Associates estimates that the number of “Smart TV” households in the U.S. will reach 42 million this year, representing 36% of all TV households. Approximately one-third of those sets will be automatic content recognition (ACR) capable. By 2018, a majority, 56%, ...read more