Applications
Web-enabled home consumer electronics on the rise
MUMBAI: The global installed base of web-enabled stationary consumer electronics (CE) devices is growing rapidly and includes a wide variety of devices.
Typically, web-enabled CE devices can execute widgets, small software application programmes that directly access an online portal, such as Netflix, Amazon VOD, Pandora, or YouTube.
The development and use of Smart TV applications are expected to proliferate over the next five years and, as a result, web-enabled CE device shipments are expected to grow sixfold, surpassing 230 million installed units by 2014, the majority of these in North America and Europe, according to In-Stat.
Principal Analyst Keith Nissen said, “Consumer adoption of online applications, using web-enabled CE devices, will be regionalised, or in some cases, country-specific. For example, in China, there is very little licensed video entertainment content available for delivery over the Internet. In contrast, the availability of online video entertainment in Europe and North America is expected to grow substantially over the next five years. The primary markets for web-enabled CE devices will correlate to where online video is also available.”
There is a distinction between network-enabled and web-enabled CE devices.
In 2014, nearly 70 per cent of DTVs shipped will be network-enabled devices, although many will not be web-enabled.
The popularity of the over-the-top (OTT) video is creating interest in enhancing the the IP video capabilities of cable, satellite and IPTV set top boxes (STBs) .
The vast majority of Blu-ray disc players and recorders shipped will be both network-enabled and web-enabled devices.
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.
