The domestic set-top market has been tough sledding of late for suppliers, but the picture looks a tad rosier when viewed through a global lens.
Based on its latest data, global shipments of set-tops were on track to reach 253.1 million units in 2015, up marginally from 248.6 million in 2014, SNL Kagan found, attributing that small rise to demand in emerging markets such as China and India.
Broken down further, worldwide cable STB shipments were expected to hit 75 million last year, flat with 2014 totals. Satellite STB units, the market’s largest segment, were on track to account for 47% of all global unit shipments in the category in 2015, the firm added.
Shipments of set-top boxes, meanwhile, are trending lower over cost concerns and the introduction of new cloud-powered DVR offerings, SNL Kagan said, adding that HD-enabled boxes accounted for 76% of global STB shipments in 2015.
But even demand in emerging markets won’t help the STB avoid an overall decline. Looking ahead, STB product revenues will reach $14.55 billion in 2019, down from $17.5 billion at the end of 2015, SNL Kagan predicted.
