The Internet.  I remember my very first experience of getting online – it was truly amazing!   And as years passed, more and more people got engaged in technology – thanks to the mobile devices, the internet is more accessible than ever.  Connected devices may just be man’s new best friend.  Just this month, two of the largest PC manufacturers, Dell and HP, were reported on how the slowly dying PC era has affected them.

Aside from PCs, tablets and mobile phones, some of the connected devices include TV, refrigerators , ovens, weighing scale, and washing machines.  This list will only continue to grow as technology continues to dominate the world of man.  Having said this, it has been forecasted that this year, 70 percent of consumer electronic industry revenues will come from connected devices.

“While connected flat panel TVs, set-top boxes and DVRs still represent a small portion of their respective product segments, sixty-eight percent of all CE devices sold this year will be connectable to the Internet.” said Peter King, director at Strategy Analytics.

Moreover, it has also been forecasted that a larger part of that opportunity over the next five years are connected TVs.  Leading the list are major vendors Samsung, LG and Sony, as they already have Smart TV products on the market.

“Sixty-seven percent of all FPTV units sold in 2015 will be Connected TVs. This represents a 38 percent compound annual growth rate over the next five years,” said Jia Wu, senior analyst in the Digital Consumer Practice.

The report findings are an advantage to Sony, considering their decision to delay the launch of its PS Vita to focus on TV Sales.   This is Sony’s opportunity to bring smart TVs back into the limelight and convince consumers that their products are worth buying.

Being able to have a ready connection to the internet is not just a trend right now.  Rather, connected devices have already become a necessity and a standard.  With an average mobile user owning 3 connected devices, companies are now faced with competing in this new market.  Services and products are now able to be delivered over Internet connections, and connected devices are changing our global culture at an economic level.  They truly are becoming man’s best friend, as more consumers are empowered with connected devices to give and gain this data deluge that’s an inevitable result of the dawning era.