| 3D projectors, LED projectors and tiny "pico" projectors are key reasons the market will boom, according to Pacific Media Associates.
A new study from Pacific Media Associates (PMA) says worldwide front projector shipments are expected to reach nearly 8 million in 2010, surging nearly 30 percent from 2009.
“Even in the midst of last year’s recession, we saw a number of ground-breaking initiatives from manufacturers and in the supply chain,” says Dr. William Coggshall, president of Pacific Media Associates. “And when you look now at any of the industry’s market and technology segments - pico projectors, 3D capability, PC-free presenting, short-throw projection, LED- and laser-based light sources, it is clear that last year’s initiatives are starting to pay off big-time.”
In the mainstream projector market, 2010 will mark the ramp-up of LED- and hybrid LED/Laser-based models that are not only environmentally friendly but also budget friendly. 3D front projection also is poised to take off in home cinemas and in secondary schools and universities. PMA expects strong sales of new wall-mounted, ultra short-throw models that offer educators and businesses opportunities for large-image projection from extremely close-in distances, enabling cheaper, easier and more flexible installations.
In the high-end front projector market, the confluence of credit easing in late 2009 and the release of "Avatar" led Q4 2009 to be the strongest quarter to date for D-cinema. “Despite d-cinema projector manufacturers apparently having difficult keeping up with buoyant demand for 3D cinema,” says Coggshall, “we continue to see a record number of d-cinema installs and purchase agreements this year.”
In the high-end, non-cinema projector market, which also managed to be one of the bright spots in the industry in 2009, the ramp-up of higher resolution models along with upward migration in brightness will continue to satisfy large-image projection needs in traditional settings as well as in the most demanding visual environments, he says.
“Even with the tiniest battery-powered pico projectors – designed as companions to or embedded in mobile devices – we are seeing rapid technology advances and channel developments that are expected to drive the entire New Era market above the 1 million-mark in 2010,” says Coggshall.
Improved performance in brightness and resolution, growing experience on the part of designers, increased availability of green lasers, and broader distribution are all additional signals that 2010 will be the Year of the Projector, according to PMA.
-via CE Pro |
