Sony and Samsung to dominate the connected home says report

[Bob Crabtree]

Although all the publicity seems to be grabbed by the big names in the PC and comms industries, it will be companies in the consumer electronics industry who end up dominating the connected home, according to the research and consultancy firm Strategy Analytics.

In Strategy Analytics' view, the two most likely to succeed are Sony and Samsung - Panasonic was the ugly duckling from consumer electronics. The eight likely also-rans from the world of computers and telecoms were Apple, Cisco, Dell, HP, Intel, Microsoft, Motorola and Nokia.

See this HEXUS.lifestyle.headline.

[Funkstar]

I'm still not convinced Samsing will be an influencial player in the market. Sure they have huge volumes and have fingers in a lot of pies, but they always seem to some out as also rans. I've spoken to a few people that see them as little more than box shifters. To me their home electronics are bland - good quality though, and pretty good value, but not a brand name. I'd take Panasonic over them for name any day.

If Sony can change from being a lumbering giant and recover from some of their recent bad press, i think they could easily be taken seriously again, they just have to open up a bit more.

But ignore all that, the technologies that are going to become all encompasing are the ones that can be sold to the OEMs and integrated into all the cheap units the fastest and cheapest. Denon, Sony, Panasonic, Pioneer etc all turned up their noses at MPEG-4 until £30 players in ASDA started to sell by the truck loads and people started to demand it.