Not that the thread didn't know, or suspect, this was happening: "We are on the threshold of entering an era of personal visual communication," declared Michelle Lampmann, market research analyst at InfoTrends in Boston.
semibiznews.com
Digital camera sales to exceed film cameras in U.S., says new report
Semiconductor Business News
(05/02/00, 11:30:44 AM EDT)
BOSTON--Shoppers in North America are snapping up digital cameras, which are expected to exceed film-based cameras in revenues this year, according to a new U.S. market report from InfoTrends Research Group here.
The research company predicts that digital camera sales in North America will reach $1.9 billion and surpass film-camera revenues by 10% in 2000. Unit sales of digital camera will grow from 6.7 million in 2000 to 42 million in 2005, according to the InfoTrends report. The North American unit volume of semiconductor-based digital cameras will exceed film cameras in 2002, said the market report. "We are on the threshold of entering an era of personal visual communication," declared Michelle Lampmann, market research analyst at InfoTrends in Boston.
"Already, the most popular use of digital photos is sharing them via the Internet, either through email or on Web sites. Digital photos are becoming the most shared personal content on the Internet, following email."
InfoTrend's market estimates include toy digital cameras, digital camera attachments, entry-level, point & shoot products and digital SLR cameras. According to the research company, the largest segment in both units and revenues is the digital "point & shoot" category, which will reach 3.1 million units this year.
Film cameras still vastly outnumber digital cameras, said InfoTrends, which estimates that 90% of U.S. households have film-based cameras while less than 10% have digital cameras. Sony, Olympus and Kodak are the digital camera market leaders, capturing a combined share of nearly 60% of the point & shoot digital camera market, said InfoTrends. Sony is the digital camera market revenue leader with 35-40% revenue share, said the research company. |
