消费者未使用智能电视的高级功能

Smart TVs are selling like crazy in China. But many consumers only use the devices to watch traditional TV programs, failing to use their more advanced functions. Industry experts warn the risk of losing Smart TV’ consumers to smart phones and tablets if the device just turns out to be another TV screen.

Chinese online video provider iQiyi.com says it has sold about 20,000 smart TV sets since September. During recent double eleven shopping internet spree, the figure soared to 10,000 a day. One company executive says they’re even thinking about making television programs themselves.

The China electronics chamber of commerce says Chinese customers bought 8 million smart TV sets by the end of last year. But Chinese research and consulting company Horizon says 80 percent of customers use smart TV only to watch TV programs as they did on traditional TV sets. Some people in the industry are worried that smart TV will lose customers when they find smart TV is not really too smart yet.

Qu Chunlong has been a computer program developer for smart TV for three years. He said most of his products so far only enable viewers to watch normal television programs.

"The smart TV industry is still young. Most of the apps on smart TV are made for watching TV programs, and smart TV now mainly realize the core functions that are originated from traditional TV sets. So some customers for sure will leave for mobile phones and tablets." said Qu.

Some smart TV brands including Lenovo and LG are adding digital games and education programs into their product offerings. The point is, analysts say, that a smart TV should be more than a TV.

Consulting company AVC reports the sales volume of all TV sets is estimated about 12 million for the last quarter of this year, down by nearly 3 percent year on year. But the figure for smart TVs is expected to be up by around 10 percent, accounting for half of the current market share.