Looking for Information? You’ve Come to the Right Place.
Jun 9, 2005 8:00 AM
However many challenges may bedevil the professional and corporate AV marketplace, lack of information isn’t among them. In fact, it sometimes seems the business of providing high-quality display and related systems for corporate users has spawned a separate business encompassing those who study the business.
The International Communications Industries Association (ICIA), of course, places a high priority on providing its members with current and useful market data. For example, ICIA recently published 2005 AV Trends and Opportunities Study: State and Local Government, a follow-up to the widely read Acclaro Growth Partners benchmark study of the AV industry released last year.
ICIA's report shows that state and local governments together spend about $1.2 billion a year on AV products and systems, and that this market will grow by about 12 percent per year over the next three years. “A large majority of AV decisionmakers and planners at the state and city levels (75 percent and 65 percent of respondents, respectively) anticipate a substantial increase in AV spending over the next 12 to 36 months,” the report notes, “while 40 percent of county/district-level planners estimate increased spending over the next 12 to 36 months.”
Not surprisingly, education tops the list of specific areas in which robust growth in government spending is expected.
Meanwhile, projector sales in general are healthy and growing, according to the latest from Pacific Media Associates (PMA). “The worldwide projector market grew 19 percent from 2004Q1 to 2005Q1,” PMA reports.
Moreover, PMA reports that 230,000 XGA microportable projectors were shipped during 2005Q1, which according to the company "represented approximately 26 percent of the total market and made it the largest projector product segment."
A recent report by PMA and TFCinfo calls the Visual Systems Division (VSD) of NEC Solutions (America) the second-largest provider of professional-grade projectors and plasma displays in North America. The report continues, "In addition, NEC jumped over Epson and Sharp to become the third most recognized projector brand in 2004.”
Display Search has a new report indicating sales of rear-projection TVs rose 19 percent in the first quarter of 2005 compared to a year ago. “Microdisplay (MD) RPTV shipments, which include DLP, LCOS, and LCD, drove growth, rising 71 percent year-over-year,” Display Search says. “In the case of worldwide MD RPTV shipments by brand, Sony widened its advantage over Samsung—earning a 44 percent share, up from 38 percent. Sony took share from the number two to number five shareholders, which remained Samsung, Panasonic, Mitsubishi, and Hitachi.”
Insight Media is another longtime industry watcher, publishing monthly reports on microdisplays, projection, and other topics. Recent newsletters from the company have included roundups of developments at such major trade shows as the National Association of Broadcasters and the Consumer Electronics Show.
A number of observers are tracking new technologies that could influence the pro-AV segment in the future. Organic LEDs are a prime example. Research firm Isuppli recently weighed in with a forecast that “market revenue for OLEDs in applications including mobile phones, media players, and televisions will rise to $2.9 billion in 2011, up from $408 million in 2005...OLED unit shipments will rise to 60 million units in 2005, nearly double the 31 million units in 2004.”
From vendors to integrators to users, everybody wants accurate and current data. Perhaps one sign of a robust business is that it keeps so many observers and forecasters busy meeting this need.
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