Residential gateways are expected to become the new hub of the so-called digital living room when they take over from set-top boxes.
The gateway market is projected to triple from 2012 to 2015 as residential gateways are expected to become the new hub of the digital living room, taking over from set-top boxes, according to a new IHS iSuppli report.
The report, “IHS iSuppli Consumer Platforms,” finds that although shipments of residential gateways and thin client boxes that act as receivers currently are miniscule, their numbers will grow dramatically as cable and wireless operators begin to roll out services offering broader connectivity and seamless access.
Worldwide gateway and thin client shipments are projected to reach 4.2 million units in 2012, up from 345,000 last year and a mere 1000 in 2010. Shipments then are expected to continue to climb quickly during the next two years — rising to 6.7 million units in 2013, to 10.4 million in 2014 and to 12.6 million by 2015, according to the report.
“Through the residential gateway, a set-top box acting as a central server can be connected to any number of thin client boxes — and eventually to other media devices being used in the home, like smartphones or tablets — in order to deliver content,” said Jordan Selburn, senior principal analyst for consumer platforms at IHS.
According to the report, the key component within the residential gateway box — the media processor — is now ready for prime time. Its task is to convert media into the right format and resolution for a given rendering device. Companies such as Intel, Broadcom and STMicroelectronics are launching products aimed at the gateway and client markets.
