Set-Top Imaging Market $330 Million by 2002
newsbytes.com
19 Jul 1999, 3:00 PM CST
By Martin Stone, Newsbytes.
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS,
Set-top imaging appliances will become widely available by
Christmas and will beget a market worth $330 million by
2002, says a report released today. The appliance will allow
the display of digital photography on an ordinary TV set, and
no PC will be required, says InfoTrends analyst Michelle
Lampmann.
The arrival of these next-generation devices is a harbinger of
a dramatically altered digital photography industry,
according to a study by Boston-based InfoTrends Research
Group, Inc.
She told Newsbytes the contraptions "will enable users to
transfer their images from the digital camera to the device
and then, using a basic remote control, do some simple
editing, or enhancement, maybe create greeting cards or
calendars, maybe create a photo album, because there's a
storage capacity within the device, and then if there's
Internet connectivity, they would be able to e-mail the
images."
Such devices, she says, will make image capturing and
editing easier and more shareable.
Set-top imaging appliances will be designed for ease-of-use.
Users will navigate through the options by clicking menu
items and icons that appear on the TV screen. Digitized
photos will be downloadable to the set-top box from digital
cameras, scanners, floppy disks, CDs, or the Internet,
depending on the configuration.
The most popular uses are expected to be slide shows for
reviewing photos in a group environment, such as family
gatherings, the study suggests.
InfoTrends predicts the market for dedicated set-top imaging
appliances could reach $330 million by 2002, but Lampmann
says certain factors may temper growth.
Market success, though reasonable, is not guaranteed.
"Emerging multipurpose intelligent set-top boxes, 'smart'
TVs, and online photo communities could diminish the need
for a dedicated set-top imaging appliance," says InfoTrends
principal Kristy Holch.
And, user habits need to change. According to the group's
end user research, only 25 percent of digital camera owners
have ever connected their digital cameras to a TV for viewing
images, and they connect an average of only once per
month.
But imaging appliances will accomplish an important goal -
introducing non-computer users to digital imaging and
preparing them to buy other related imaging products,
InfoTrends declares.
Lampmann sees a marketing emphasis on "the family" and
feels most buyers would use the appliance to create
photo-shows that could be viewed in a family setting.
She predicts the initial price range for such devices will be
under $400, depending on the configurations and features.
InfoTrends researched the potential market as part of their
on-going interest in emerging image-capture and digital
imaging technology, Lampmann said.
The report, called "Imaging Appliances' Impact on Digital
Photography," is designed to help consumer electronics
manufacturers, digital camera vendors, and Internet services
companies better understand market dynamics.
The study covers digital imaging appliances, including game
consoles, printers, handheld devices, and Internet
appliances designed to enable digital photography
applications without a PC. It examines emerging
technologies, products, OEM solutions, and potential
adoption barriers, and presents a demand forecast for
set-top imaging appliance shipments from 1999 to 2002.
More information is available at the group's Website:
infotrends-rgi.com .
Reported by Newsbytes.com,
newsbytes.com15:00 CST
Reposted 15:31 CST
(19990719/ MEDIA CONTACT: Michelle Lampmann,
617-859-0300 /WIRES ONLINE, PC,
BUSINESS/DIGIMAGE/PHOTO) |
