Share of smart TVs and UHD TVs in Germany continues to grow

Thursday, October 14th, 2021 
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TV set market: consumers buy more UHD-TV sets and Smart-TVs

FRANKFURT — In the first nine months of 2021, the share of smart TVs and UHD TVs in terms of the overall market continued to rise. According to GfK SE, a total of around 4 million TV sets were sold in Germany in the first three quarters of 2021. Of these, around 3.7 million were smart TVs that enable the use of apps or media libraries via HbbTV or the internet. This corresponds to a share of 93 percent – four percentage points more compared to the first three quarters of 2020 (89 per cent).

For Ultra HD devices, the market share increased by five points to 75 per cent (3 million devices) (Q1-Q3 2020: 70 per cent). The share of UHD TVs that support at least one High Dynamic Range (HDR) process grew slightly again to 98 per cent. These devices can display content with a significantly greater contrast range as well as more natural colours in finer gradations. In addition to the static HDR standards HDR10 and HLG (Hybrid Log Gamma), 79 per cent (2.3 million) of HDR displays also support dynamic HDR processes such as Dolby Vision or HDR10+.

TVs with a screen diagonal of 55 inches and larger continue to be in vogue. With just under 2.2 million sets sold, this group accounts for 54 per cent of the total market.
The most significant jump here was in the largest displays: every fifth flat screen sold was delivered with a screen diagonal of at least 65 inches.

Environmentally conscious consumers: Three out of four old devices are still used
According to a consumer study by ZVEI e. V., consumers are responsible when it comes to dealing with old devices. Even when buying a new TV set, in half of the cases the previous ones remain in use in the household or at a second home. If it is no longer needed, it is often given away, donated or sold. All in all, a good three quarters of the appliances are used again when they are bought new.

Carine Chardon, Managing Director of the Deutsche TV-Plattform and the ZVEI Consumer Electronics Association: “The figures show that the trend towards high-quality TVs with excellent picture quality continues, which enable flexible content use via the classic TV connection or via apps or HbbTV applications. This increases the basis for broadcasters and producers to sell their content via all distribution channels. It is also very positive that the purchase of new televisions leads directly to an increase in ‘electronic waste’ in very few cases.”

Links: Deutsche TV-Plattform; ZVEI; GfK