UK public the most savvy online but Smart TVs a turn off

UK public the most savvy online but Smart TVs a turn off
UK loving the web, just not on their TV

The UK is filled with tech-savvy individuals who find getting online a doddle, according to new report by Ofcom, but another study reveals that Brits aren't that enamoured with Smart TVs.

The Ofcom study found that the UK is "leading the way" in using the internet, citing the fact that 79 per cent of people with internet access managed to order goods online, while the British were the most likely to visit retail websites online, with 89 per cent claiming to have done this in the past year.

And the UK's passion for the web isn't just computer-based, smartphones are also a web browsing device of choice with nearly half (46 per cent) of people with internet access using their phones to go online in October – more than any other country.

Not so smart

When it comes to loving the web through televisions, however, the results are nothing to celebrate about.

While one in 10 Brits own a Smart TV, according to YouGov, this is set to rise by just 4 per cent in 2012 – with the survey predicting a slowdown of sales.

The reasons for consumers not wanting a television that is web enabled is apparently to do with the sheer amount of devices around at the moment that offer this functionality – including games consoles.

And when it comes to Smart TVs, YouGov's study shows that they are still seen as too expensive for purchase, with 28 per cent of the 2023 people surveyed saying they won't purchase one at the price they are in the shops but may consider it if some sort of payment scheme was put into place.

Marc Chacksfield

Marc Chacksfield is the Editor In Chief, Shortlist.com at DC Thomson. He started out life as a movie writer for numerous (now defunct) magazines and soon found himself online - editing a gaggle of gadget sites, including TechRadar, Digital Camera World and Tom's Guide UK. At Shortlist you'll find him mostly writing about movies and tech, so no change there then.