When it comes to the streaming and TV world, Chromecast is one of the devices which does offer consumers better value than other options. While it is limited in some respects, when compared to the likes of Android TV or Apple TV, Chromecast sells for only $35. Making it prime for those who do not want to spend too much, as well as an ideal impulse purchase. Likely one of the reasons as to why Chromecast has sold in fairly big numbers ever since its release. However, it has always lagged in sales compared to Apple TV. Although, that does now look to be changing.
Analysis firm, IHS, put out a press release today suggesting that based on their analysis of connected devices, the first quarter of 2016 saw Chromecast pass Apple TV in terms of sales for the first time. According to IHS, Apple TV managed to ship in the region of 1.7 million units during Q1 of 2016. While, in contrast, Google’s Chromecast eclipsed that figure with as many as 3.2 million units being shipped during the same period. While this is the first quarter in which Chromecast has been noted outselling Apple TV by IHS, the firm does not expect this to be a one-off event, noting “we anticipate that this reversal will persist.”
One of the reasons why IHS does suggest Chromecast will continue to be dominant in this particular market is that it does offer incredible value for the money and especially compared to the likes of Apple TV which retails four to five times higher. Another aspect which IHS focuses on is that Apple TV is geared more towards “Apple’s singular user-interface.” Again, in contrast, Chromecast offers a far more user-friendly and across the board experience and one which “obviates the very need for a user-interface”. In short, IHS notes that Apple and Google’s “vastly different strategies” will play a continued factor in sales going forward.
Moving to the wider connected market and the same IHS report notes some other interesting findings. First and foremost that there are now 8.1 billion connected devices worldwide, including the likes of smartphones, tablets, PCs and TVs, as well as other connected TV and audio-related devices. However, it seems smartphones continue to be one of the main connected sources with IHS noting that “year-on-year, smartphones contribute roughly half a billion new devices to the market.” A number which IHS states outnumbers tablets by as much as five to one. One of the clear winners from the IHS research though is Netflix with IHS stating that by the close of last year, Netflix was included on 339 million connected devices in the U.S. alone. Essentially, accounting for “32 percent of the audio-visual hardware landscape.”