Taking Steps towards a Connected Home

Author: Michael Inouye, Senior Analyst, Consumer Research

Published: 14 Jul 2010

Recently Samsung announced the Samsung Product Support TV (SPSTV) channel on the Samsung Apps store. Naturally use of the SPSTV channel on a connected TV would mean a given consumer has already connected a TV to the Internet successfully, but should connectivity be a problem, Samsung also provides consumers with a dedicated SPSTV site with videos and FAQs for a wide range of Samsung CE devices. This initiative speaks to the added complexities consumers now face with connected devices and recent features like 3D.

Samsung is not alone in its endeavor to help educate consumers (and simultaneously reduce customer support calls and returns) with information beyond simple FAQs. For example, Philips has a connectivity walkthrough where consumers can select the devices they want to connect to a TV and Philips will inform them which cables they need and how to wire their particular setup. Do consumers want to be educated?

The full text of this Insight is available to subscribers of the Connected Home Research Service and the Digital Lifestyle Research Service.

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