Market researchers believe that HDTV shipments have surpassed that of standard-definition televisions.
According to the researchers significant price reductions and the increased availability of content are the main reason behind the growth in adoption.
HDTV shipments surpass standard TV shipments, says iSuppli, and the research firm even believes that HD shipments will increase at a compound annual rate of 20% from 97.1 million units last year to 241.2 million units by 2012.
"The technology is everywhere these days - on broadcast television, on cable, on satellite, and on the Internet," iSuppli analyst Sheri Greenspan said in a statement.
Shipments of standard-def TVs are expected to decrease from 114.8 million units in 2007 to 23.1 million by 2012, meaning that in four years time the actual difference between standard and high-def shipments will be more than 200 million units.
On the other hand set-top box shipments are expected to increase. According to iSuppli HD STBs will represent 50% of all set-top boxes by 2012. HD content will be available even more in the coming years, and prices are expected to go down.
"This means the costs to providers to generate and deliver HD content is becoming minimal, and that savings is being passed along to the eager consumers who are waiting anxiously to view HD on their TV or Internet," Greenspan said.
