Merch Monday: The Future of TV

In the August issue of Dealerscope magazine, statistics from the DisplaySearch Q2'11 Quarterly TV Design and Features Report were released. The survey showed that in 2011, more than 25 percent of all flat panel TVs shipped are expected to have some form of Internet connectivity. And, according to the report, this number is forecast to hit 140 million by 2015, accounting for 47 percent of all flat panel TVs shipped.

Products launched by TV manufacturers in 2011 show how important Internet services are to the future of TV. Internet-ready, these televisions partner with other handheld devices in the home, such as smartphones and tablets. This allows consumers to use their technology devices across platforms - a growing trend in the industry.

What does this mean for the future of 3D television? While we can't be certain, it looks as if manufacturers are favoring Internet-ready TV over 3D. Given that there aren't enough resources or invested software in 3D technology, consumers have struggled to fully adopt it.