Applications
internet devices to drive consumer electronic industry
MUMBAI: 70 per cent of the global consumer electronic (CE) industry 2011 revenues will come from Internet connectable devices, according to the latest research from the Strategy Analytics Connected Home Devices (CHD) service.
Internet connectivity has become a key feature for the majority of CE devices, whose global installed base will reach the two billion unit mark by the end of the year.
Strategy Analytics director Peter King said, “67 per cent of all FPTV units sold in 2015 will be Connected TVs. This represents a 38 per cent compound annual growth rate over the next five years. While connected flat panel TVs, set-top boxes and DVRs still represent a small portion of their respective product segments, 68 per cent of all CE devices sold this year will be connectable to the Internet.”
According to this report, Connected TVs represent one of the biggest growth opportunities over the next five years as major endors, such as Samsung, LG and Sony, push their Smart TV initiatives. Global connected TV device revenues will total in excess of $95 billion in 2015, representing more than one-quarter of the overall connected device market.
Senior analyst in the digital consumer practice Jia Wu said, “67 per cent of all FPTV units sold in 2015 will be Connected TVs. This represents a 38 per cent compound annual growth rate over the next five years. Although growth in the overall TV market will be modest, the market value of connected TVs will more than double during the same period.”
Applications
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.
