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HDTV is second most desired device next to Smartphones in Asia Pacific
MUMBAI: HDTVs were the second most cited device when considering consumer electronics purchase intentions in the next six months, according to a recent trio of surveys conducted by ABI Research on the Asia Pacific consumer electronics markets.
Smartphones were No. 1, with nearly 60 per cent of Chinese
respondents. In contrast, only 43 per cent of respondents were interested in HDTVs.
In India, mobile phones (29 per cent of respondents), edged out HDTVs (27 per cent of respondents) to take the second position behind smartphones (35 per cent of respondents).
Purchase intent was similar in South Korea, with smartphones and HDTVs representing the top two device categories at 47 per cent and 22 per cent of respondents, respectively.
Considering the current economic conditions, developing markets will continue to serve as key targets by many consumer electronics companies.
Digital home practice director Jason Blackwell said, “The
maturing North American and Western European markets, in conjunction with the worldwide economic situation, are making growth increasingly difficult for many companies. In corroboration of this view, a considerably higher number of US and Western European respondents claimed to have no purchase intentions over the next six months. China continues to hold considerable growth opportunities, but one of the key challenges for international companies is penetrating a market that tends to favor domestic brands.”
In terms of HDTV brands favoured by Asia Pacific countries, 50 per cent and 46 per cent of South Korean respondents (those who have at least one HDTV) claimed to own Samsung and LG HDTVs, respectively; the next closest TV manufacturer was Sony at a mere three per cent.
This trend in sticking to domestic brands was also mirrored in China, with Changhong, Haier, HiSense, Konka, Skyworth, and TCL among the top 12 most common HDTV brands owned by respondents.
In India the results were mixed, with Sony, Samsung, LG, and Philips rounding out the top four brands listed by respondents.
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With 57 per cent single new users, Ashley Madison rebrands as discreet dating platform
Platform says majority of new members now identify as single
INDIA: Ashley Madison is shedding the “married-dating” label that defined it for two decades, repositioning itself as a platform for discreet dating in what it calls the post-social media age.
The rebrand, unveiled in India on 27 February, 2026, marks a structural shift in business model and identity. Once synonymous with married dating, the company now describes itself as the “premier destination for discreet dating” under a new tagline: Where Desire Meets Discretion.
The pivot is data-driven. Internal figures show that 57 per cent of global sign-ups between 1 January and 31 December, 2025 identified as single: a notable departure from the platform’s married core. The company argues that its community has already evolved beyond its original positioning.
“In an age where our lives have been constantly put on public display, privacy has become the new luxury,” said Ashley Madison chief strategy officer Paul Keable. He framed the platform’s offering as “ethical discretion” for singles, separated, divorced and non-monogamous users seeking private connections.
The shift also taps into wider digital fatigue. A global survey conducted by YouGov for Ashley Madison, covering 13,071 adults across Australia, Brazil, Canada, Germany, India, Italy, Mexico, Spain, Switzerland, the UK and the US, found mounting discomfort with hyper-public online lives.
Among dating app users, 30 per cent cited constant swiping and messaging as a source of fatigue, while 24 per cent pointed to pressure to curate public-facing profiles and early personal disclosure. Some 27 per cent said fears of screenshots or information being shared contributed to exhaustion; an equal share cited unwanted attention.
The retreat from oversharing appears broader. According to the survey, 46 per cent of adults actively try to keep most aspects of their life private online. Only 8 per cent feel comfortable sharing most aspects publicly, while 35 per cent say they are becoming more selective about what they disclose.
Ashley Madison is betting that this cultural recalibration towards controlled visibility can be monetised. By doubling down on privacy infrastructure and reframing itself around discretion rather than infidelity, the company is attempting to convert reputational baggage into a premium proposition.
