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Politics : Formerly About Applied Materials -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: Proud_Infidel who wrote (53618)	10/3/2001 8:27:45 AM
From: Proud_Infidel	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 70976

Global Digital Camera Output to Rise 38 Pct. in 2001 October 3, 2001 (TOKYO) -- Production of digital cameras is continuing to grow faster than that of any other PC-related devices. A survey conducted by Nikkei Market Access showed that the global output of digital cameras would reach 18.73 million units in 2001, up 38 percent from the previous year. Although the number is far below the 122 percent increase seen in the previous year, it remains strong as production of other PC-related equipment is expected to be flat or be negative in 2001. The world's production outlook for 2002 will show a slight slowdown, with an increase of 27 percent year on year, reaching 23.75 million units. Digital Camera Gains More Popularity Among Novice Users Why is digital camera selling so well? Most electronic parts makers are skeptical about the strength of the digital camera sales continuing for the long term, considering the current stagnation on compressing their inventories which followed the burst of the IT bubble in 2000. "Judging from the trends of digital camera orders, the output growth will likely be high, but we are baffled by that, because we cannot find any reason why digital cameras alone are exceptionally strong," said a marketing official at an electronic parts maker. Among the main reasons for brisk sales of digital cameras are a falling trend in prices, and a broader range of models. But those characteristics are not limited to digital cameras, and are common to other PC-related equipment. Unlike other PC peripherals, however, digital cameras have not yet reached saturation. Indeed, many novice users are buying digital cameras. Some industry watchers pointed out that digital cameras offer users a more clear-cut motivation and a greater convenience than PCs do. Because of this, even first-time purchasers are willingly to buy them, they said. For example, when the Japan unit of Eastman Kodak Co. released a new product in July, about 78 percent of the total buyers were first-time buyers, 6 percent for existing users who replaced old units, and 16 percent were existing users who bought an extra camera. Thanks to novice users' strong demand for digital cameras, sales of lower-grade products with less than 2 million pixels of resolution are holding steady, even after new top-grade products with more than 2 million pixels are introduced. By producer, the top three makers -- Sony Corp., Olympus Optical Co., Ltd. and Fuji Photo Film Co., Ltd. -- are accounting for about 60 percent of the domestic market in 2001, unchanged from the previous year. Note: This research does not include toy cameras with no built-in LCD monitor and with prices of around US$100. (Ken Nakamura, Nikkei Market Access)