Joel Espelien, the author of the report, suggests that the use of “second screens” like smartphones and tablets will pave the way to a full “app” ecosystem, in which users view programming through an app or application dedicated to a specific video service.

“During the course of the next seven years, the app ecosystem will extend to the ancillary devices that link television sets to the internet. We’re not talking about a few apps on a smart TV, but full-fledged apps stores like those offered by Google and Apple,” he writes. “Moreover, this shift is inevitable, supported as it is by strong forces of shifting consumer demand, technology evolution, developer interest, and marketing necessity.” read more http://informitv.com/news/2013/07/13/futureoftelevision/