• by Joe Mandese  @mp_joemandese, January 5, 2015

LAS VEGAS -- Advances in almost every facet of consumer electronics -- everything from robotics to drones to wearable “quantified self” technologies to the ubiquitous Internet of Things -- are on hand here this week as the Consumer Electronics Association’s annual CES conference is poised to kick off, but it’s an old consumer favorite -- television, albeit a new-and-improved version -- that is projected to be the next big thing.

Shipments of so-called 4K ultra high-definition TVs are projected to reach four million units in 2015, an increase of 208% over 2014, according to preliminary findings from the U.S. Consumer Electronics Sales and Forecasts study, which will officially be released by the CEA on Tuesday.

The study also finds that a third of consumers (33%) may purchase a 4K TV within the next three years, while 44% said they are likely to purchase a “smart” or Internet-enabled TV, a function commonly available with 4K UHD televisions.

When considering the top features that will drive their next television purchase, 27% of consumers ranked 4K capability as the second most important feature, followed by picture quality (24%), a key benefit of 4K UHD TVs. For more than half of consumers (54%), price ranked as the most important aspect to consider when purchasing a TV.

“4K UHD is our future, and the future is now,” CEA President-CEO Gary Shapiro said in a statement announcing the findings.