[10-05-07 – Satellite Today]  IMS Research said Oct. 3 that satellite operators will propel growth in the hybrid set-top box market, which while still small today will grow significantly, and in the next few years will represent a quarter of all set-top box shipments. In its latest forecast, IMS Research said that hybrid set-top boxes will account for more than 25 percent of worldwide set-top box unit shipments in 2012, translating into nearly $2.9 billion in manufacturer revenues. The role of satellite operators is likely to highly significant in this growing market. IMS Research forecasts that satellite hybrid set-top boxes are forecast to account for 76 percent share of all hybrid STB units shipped worldwide in 2012.

The findings are revealed in a new study by IMS Reseach, ‘Hybrid set-top box developments and the impact of other hybrid equipment’.