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The global market for all video streaming devices -- which includes computers, mobile devices, smart TVs, consoles, and set-top boxes -- will grow from 4.3 billion units in 2013 to 8.2 billion units by 2017, according to research firm IHS. Within that growing market, Parks Associates estimates that 50 million streaming media players like Apple TV, Roku, and Chromecast will be in homes across the world by 2017.

From the article "Can Microsoft’s Miracast Dongle Compete Against ...read more

According to the research firm Parks Associates, about 50% to 60% of U.S. homes with a connected consumer electronics device (smart TV, set-top box, etc.) have a Netflix subscription. Amazon's Prime service currently takes about 34%. Of course, there's some overlap between Netflix and Prime subscribers.

But while Netflix is the undisputed leader in video streaming right now, Amazon made some big gains during the past few years. Right now, nearly 20% of all U.S. homes with a ...read more

In this video from the 2014 International CES in Las Vegas I chat with Tom Kerber about Ford, ADT, and the connected home. As the director of research in the areas of home controls, energy management, and home networks for Parks Associates, Kerber says there is dramatic growth potential in this area, especially considering that only a small percentage of houses currently are making use of the technology.

From the article "Ford’s Next Big Thing Isn’t a Car" by Rex Moore.

I was able to chat with Tom Kerber recently about Lowe's and its strategy in this space. Tom is the director of research in the areas of home controls, energy management, and home networks for Parks Associates.

He says Lowe's is employing a different business model in the home automation market, one that allows consumers to buy an inexpensive kit and begin connecting their home on an incremental basis. In all, the Lowe's Iris system expands to motion sensors, HVAC control, l ...read more

Facebook is the dominant social media platform on phones, tablets, and computers, but is it part of your TV experience now, too? Yes, according to international market research and consulting firm Parks & Associates:

https://twitter.com/scott_kerr/statuses/481435567612510208

From the article "Can Facebook Take Over Your TV?" by Eric Bleeker.

I was in my second day at last month's conference called Connections put on by Parks Associates. It's billed as "The Premier Connected Home Conference" and was held in San Francisco.

It was far from the first time there that I'd witnessed someone roll their eyes, shake their head in astonishment, or scoff at the mention of Nest. The reason was simple: Nest had stolen the industry spotlight.

From the article "Welcome to the New Silicon Valley" by Eric Bleeker.

There are already plenty of products -- including Google's Chromecast, Roku, and Apple TV -- that allow consumers to stream media from a home network or the Internet. These devices generally cost between $35 and $100, and stream popular services like Netflix and Hulu without any issues. The market hasn't stopped growing yet -- research firms Parks Associates estimates that worldwide streaming device sales will double between 2013 and 2017 to annual sales of 330 million units.

...read more

For AT&T and Verizon, the good news is that most people never switch carriers even when superior plan options become available. According to consumer data from Parks Associates, almost half of mobile customers have stayed with their original provider for at least a decade, and only about one in eight have switched three or more times. That behavior effectively creates a competitive moat around Verizon and AT&T and their superior market share, but it doesn't mean that their leade ...read more