US HDTV Forecast, 2009 To 2014

The nature of the high-definition TV (HDTV) buyer is changing — from first-time buyers purchasing their first HDTV to second- and even third-time buyers. By 2014, the HDTV will be in 71% of US households, and more than half will have two or more. Selling an HDTV to someone who already has one is a dramatically different proposition than selling to a first-timer. We recommend that product strategists at TV manufacturers focus on providing convenient access to a wide variety of content. This will ensure that as consumers upgrade to a second HDTV, they opt for a bigger and better one — loaded with more features — rather than a smaller second HDTV for the den, leaving the living room bereft of newer features and content opportunities. The good news is that the same emphasis will satisfy first-timers as well.