Shipments of Video PMPs to Exceed 130 Million Worldwide in 2011

Worldwide shipments of video portable multimedia players (PMPs) will grow at an annualized rate of 30% over the next five years, reaching 132 million units in 2011, according to Parks Associates’ report Portable Multimedia Players: Analysis and Forecasts, Second Edition.

MP3 player manufacturers will drive growth through their desire to add video capability to the portable audio player platform and capitalize on the healthy growth of the broadband video market worldwide.

“The video PMP market will enter a strong growth period within the next five years,” said Harry Wang, senior analyst at Parks Associates. “Video capability fuels the upgrade demand from existing device owners, and more content, especially free and short online video clips, gives consumers the incentive to upgrade.”

In North America, the percentage of flash-based video PMPs will rise from 15% in 2006 to 77% in 2011. Elsewhere, flash-based video PMPs already account for the majority of the market and will continue to expand their lead. “Flash memory’s merits, such as durability, small form factor, and low power consumption, make it the preferred storage medium for video PMP manufacturers,” Wang said. “Barring any significant developments in the online video market, the use of hard-disk drive on the PMP platform will trail substantially.”

Portable Multimedia Players: Analysis and Forecasts, Second Edition features Parks Associates’ latest research on the portable multimedia entertainment market. The report highlights technology and feature developments, analyzes PMP usage, and evaluates the impact of the latest digital media consumption trends on the adoption and positioning of PMPs.