IMS Research - Consumer Electronics

The Consumer Electronics Research Group addresses the highly dynamic markets of digital TV and related consumer products. After 15 years, the group has become one of the leading suppliers of digital TV market intelligence. It offers reports, online databases and consultancy for companies in the following sectors: set-top box, television sets, digital TV broadcasting, HDTV, DVD, mobile TV, semiconductors within CE devices, and others.

For customer/press enquiries, please contact:
Anna Hunt
Email: anna.hunt@imsresearch-usa.com
Tel: +1 512 302 1977

Client List:

AMD	Broadcom	Conexant	Fujitsu

Intel	Motorola	Nagravision	Pace Micro Technology

Panasonic	Philips	Renesas	Samsung

Seagate	Sony	ST Microelectronics	Thomson

Toshiba	Zoran

Reports

Emerging DTV Markets: Africa – 2008 Edition

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Press Releases

Demand for New Content Driving Growth of African Pay-TV - 25 June 2008

African digital TV consumers are seeking more localized content from the pay-TV industry, and operators are answering the call by developing business models to meet this growing market’s demands. Sub-Saharan consumers previously limited to only South African content can now enjoy local programming from other countries because of the rise of new national and pan-regional African pay-TV operators such as HiTV and Gateway. Competition between major DTH operators is resulting in channel line-ups that offer international, country- and language-specific broadcasting to appeal to larger African audiences.

Chinese Conditional Access Providers Gaining Market Share - 10 June 2008

Considering the strength of the digital cable market in China, those conditional access system (CAS) providers that have been successful in selling in that market are poised to substantially increase their market share. Over the next three years, China Digital TV, the leading CAS supplier in that market is set to increase its worldwide market position from 8th as of the end of 2007 to 4th or 5th as of the end of 2010.

Usability Value-adds Will Drive Digital Picture Frames’ Mass Market Appeal - 30 May 2008

Once characterized as a small, nascent market based upon seasonal gift-giving, the worldwide digital picture frame (DPF) market has exploded over the last few years with shipments surpassing 10 million units in 2007 accounting for an estimated $648 million in retail revenues.

IPTV Set-Top Boxes - $3 Billion Business in 2012 - 06 May 2008

The IMS Research study IPTV: A Global Market Analysis - 2008 Edition forecasts that, on a worldwide basis, shipments of IP set-top boxes will grow at a CAGR of 37.1% through the end of 2012. These shipments will represent revenues of $3 billion. IP + Digital Terrestrial hybrid STBs are expected to comprise 30% of shipments in 2012 with HD DVR boxes nearing 35%.

Bluetooth & NFC – A Marriage made in Heaven? Or just an Idle Fancy? - 23 April 2008

The combination of Bluetooth & NFC would hold tremendous value. However this partnership is not going to be plane sailing, particularly when we consider the slow implementation of Bluetooth into automotive applications and the business model issues hindering NFC.

Digital Picture Frames Become ‘Smart’ with New Usage Models on the Horizon - 01 April 2008

Digital picture frames are poised to become more than simple display devices with new usage models emerging that will transform them into instant information retrieval devices.

Sports Broadcasting via DTH Networks Drives Gateway’s DTH Uptake in Africa - 28 March 2008

Free-to-air digital terrestrial television operators are expanding significantly thanks to interest in sports content. In Sub-Saharan Africa, Gateway’s (GTV’s) exclusive broadcast rights for 80% of English Premiere League football programming is driving the adoption of GTV’s pay-TV services in close to a dozen countries. GTV’s expansion intends to secure sports subscribers in 25 Sub-Saharan countries by the end of 2008.

IPTV Households Forecast to Grow 52.2% Annually Through 2012 - 06 March 2008

The IMS Research study IPTV: A Global Market Analysis - 2008 Edition reveals that as a whole, an estimated 13.2 million households received IPTV service in 2007 with nearly 8.4 million IP-enabled set-top boxes shipping worldwide. IPTV households are forecast to grow 52.2% annually though 2012. This new study examines the worldwide IPTV market from infrastructure to operators, providing analysis on the delivery of linear and on-demand content via IP-based networks by telcos, as well as by cable and satellite pay-TV operators.

Advanced STBs Drive US TV Market in 2007 as ‘Last Hurrah’ for Basic STBs Approaches - 27 February 2008

The race for HD continues to drive the US digital TV market as advanced set-top boxes, including HD, DVR, and HD DVR comprised more than 55% of total STB shipments in the US in 2007. However, 2009 analog switch-off has created a short-term “last gasp” market for basic STBs in the form of subsidized digital-to-analog (D/A) converters that are estimated to ship between 24-30 million units over the next 12-15 months.

WiMAX Technology Could Spur the Growth of Digital TV in Africa - 01 February 2008

The penetration of digital TV services in Africa will begin to accelerate due to the proliferation of new technologies such as WiMAX. WiMAX has emerged as a serious player in underdeveloped regions where low bandwidth and inadequate infrastructure have limited the growth of broadband and digital TV services.

Telco TV Emerges As True Multi-play Competitor - 08 January 2008

IPTV uptake is increasing on a global scale as telcos develop compelling multi-play offerings to compete with cable and satellite operators. Infrastructure upgrades and strategic alliances between major industry players have enabled tier two and tier three telcos to deliver IPTV, leading to significant growth in rural markets. IMS Research forecasts that by 2012, over 52 million pay-TV subscribers worldwide will have adopted IPTV service with IP STB shipments growing nearly 30% annually during this time period.

IPTV Influences Set-top Box Market, Spurring Expansion on all Platforms - 18 December 2007

Considerable growth is seen in the digital TV market as technology enhances operators’ capabilities to offer new services, driving rollouts of hybrid, DVR, HD, and MPEG-4 AVC set-top boxes. IMS Research predicts that worldwide digital set-top shipments will increase at an average rate of 11% per annum over the next five years, reaching a forecast of 230 million shipments in 2012.

More CE Devices Enter the Digital TV Market - 13 November 2007

Hybrid devices such as IP-enabled game consoles and DVD players/recorders with integrated digital TV receivers are beginning to make their mark on the DTV industry. Within the next five years, these types of CE devices will become more common in enabling the delivery of digital video content to the TV set, allowing content providers and aggregators to circumvent traditional TV operators.

IMS Research Finds HP Primarily Responsible for Doubling of U.S. Market for Digital TV Tuner Cards on the PC - 30 October 2007

IMS Research today announced that primarily due to HP’s decision to bundle digital TV tuners in all but its lowest-end desktop PCs, the estimated shipments of digital PCTV tuner cards to the United States doubled between 2006 and 2007, from 2.5 million units to 5.2 million. In the same period, the digital PCTV tuner card market in Western Europe grew “only” 52%, from 4.2 to 6.4 million units. The findings are detailed in a recent report from IMS Research titled The Worldwide Market for Digital TV on the PC.

Satellite Platform Propels Hybrids to 25% of Global STB Market - 19 September 2007

The hybrid STB market is forecast to grow aggressively as satellite TV and IPTV operators position themselves against competitors. Over next few years, the rollout of new video services delivered via the Internet will have a significant impact on traditional operators’ business strategies, although initially these new service are not likely to replace traditional pay-TV on the TV set on any significant scale.

Smaller Players Gain Larger Share of Worldwide Digital STB Market - 28 August 2007

Global suppliers such as Thomson and Motorola continue to retain their leadership positions in the worldwide digital set-top box markets. Smaller manufacturers, particularly Asia based, are noticeably increased their share of global shipments in 2006, partially driven by growth in the Chinese digital cable market.

Mobile TV Standards: Winners Emerging One Region at a Time - 17 August 2007

Recent market developments in the broadcast mobile TV space have resulted in some early indicators that standards will be region centric. IMS Research predicts that the majority of FLO subscribers will be located in the Americas, while Europe will comprise a significant share of the DVB-H market.

Mobile TV Buzz Slowly Translating into Reality - 20 June 2007

Although delays were common in 2006 for the broadcast mobile TV market, 2007 is likely to see more commercial launches of broadcast video service by MNOs. By mid 2007, over 50 countries worldwide had begun or completed broadcast mobile TV trials, with 100+ technology companies targeting this market with solutions and products.

Set-top Box Costs Stabilizing, Spending to Grow with Volume - 08 May 2007

IMS Research estimates that the average semiconductor bill of materials cost (BOM) for set-top boxes dropped 37% from 2004 to 2006, going from $59 to $37. This precipitous drop was caused primarily by rapidly falling prices for MPEG-2 core decoders chips in preparation for the transition to MPEG-4 AVC (ITU-T H.264) – both in HD and SD segments. However, IMS Research is forecasting that due to a number of factors, this trend will change, and from 2007-2011 the overall average cost of a set-top box semiconductor BOM will stay near $41.”

Consumer DVD Recorders Poised to Challenge DVRs, PC-based DVD Burners - 27 April 2007

Various product developments continue to improve the usability of consumer DVD recorders, enabling them to challenge competing products such as DVRs and PC-based DVD authoring applications. IMS Research forecasts strong growth in this market through 2011, particularly in high-end DVD recorder models.

DTT Market Flourishes During the Next 10 Years - 24 April 2007

Adoption of DTT set-top boxes is now strong, with many DTT launches occurring around the world. Up to now, the DTT market has been driven by activity in Western Europe. During the next ten years, this will shift as DTT launches and analog switch-offs are scheduled to happen around the world. IMS Research forecasts that the DTT market will exceed 250 million TV households by the end of 2017.

Game Consoles – Redefining the High-Definition Market - 02 April 2007

The emergence of high-definition (HD) game consoles in the latter half of 2006 has changed not only the role game consoles play in the digital living room, but also the outlook for the market for HD-DVD and Blu-ray Disc. Additionally, these consoles’ ability to download and play back HD content is demonstrating increasing success as a viable conduit for paid HD content via broadband.

2007 is the Year of High Definition - Hopefully - 01 February 2007

High-definition (HD) TV seems poised to make 2007 its breakout year, however the general uptake of HD by consumers may not show true acceleration until late in the year. This situation is due largely to content availability, standards battles, and limited consumer awareness.

DRM Interoperability Remains Elusive - 11 January 2007

Though the rise in portable media players and other devices capable of playing digital content continues in earnest, digital rights management (DRM) continues to restrict the ability of consumers to freely consume their content on the device of their choice. This dynamic is expected to continue, as businesses maintain the desire to control the content revenue stream.

H.264: Its Really for SDTV - 09 January 2007

Starting in 2007, the number of standard-definition set-top boxes shipping with the ability to decode MPEG-4 AVC (H.264) video streams will surpass the number of MPEG-4 AVC high-definition boxes. An upcoming study from IMS Research forecasts that 17% of set-tops shipping in 2007 will support MPEG-4 AVC, and of those, two-thirds will be standard definition.

Interactive Services Raise More than Revenues - 27 November 2006

The China cable market is set to experience a strong surge in interactive digital set-top box shipments. These boxes will enable Chinese digital cable TV operators to offer value-added services and to significantly increase their revenues.

DTT Households Expected to Surge and Enable Pay-DTT Opportunities - 18 October 2006

Worldwide digital terrestrial TV (DTT) is expected to more than triple over the next 5 years, with growth driven primarily in Western Europe. Research on the DTT market suggests that pay-DTT services have a greater chance of survival where free DTT services are already well-established.

Cable Drives Surge in Digital Set-Top Box Revenues in China - 02 October 2006

Strong uptake of digital cable TV services in China is identified as the main factor driving the growth of the digital set-top box market in the country over the next several years. In 2005, revenues from digital STB shipments grew approximately 77%.

When will iDTVs Make Set-top Boxes Unnecessary? - 20 September 2006

With the rapid adoption of digital terrestrial TV (DTT) in Western Europe combined with the increased amount of HDTV programming being produced, Televisions with an integrated digital tuner are becoming more common in many markets around the world. This is forecasted to lead to nearly 40% of television sets shipped in 2011 being iDTVs.

CRTs Lead Global TV Unit Shipments for Next 2 Years - 30 August 2006

With intensifying price competition and more suppliers of flat panel sets, the TV set market is expected to experience a true transformation during the next five years. CRTs are forecast to continue to account for majority of TV sets shipped over the next two years. The situation will change dramatically by 2011, during which 68% of TV sets shipped are forecast to comprise of flat panels.

446 Million Watching TV on Their Cell Phones By 2011 - 08 August 2006

Austin, TX (August 3, 2006) – IMS Research forecasts that by the end of 2011, nearly half a billion people will be watching TV on their cellular handsets. Driven primarily by the adoption of broadcast-based services such as DVB-H, mobile digital TV will experience 50% year-on-year growth through 2010.

Double-digit Growth Forecast for Digital Set-Top Box Market - 26 July 2006

Austin, TX (July 6, 2006) – In a recently-published report entitled, “The Worldwide Market for Digital Set-top Boxes & iDTVs – 2006 Edition,” IMS Research estimates that approximately 96 million digital set-top boxes were shipped in 2005, and forecasts that worldwide shipments of digital set-top boxes will more than double over the next 5 years, surpassing 200 million units shipped in 2011.

Cellular set to be Clear Winner in Handheld Media Markets - 05 July 2006

Wellingborough, UK (3 July 2006) – Despite its iconic status over the last two years, particularly in the United States, in a very few years the iPod may become just a historical curiosity. A recently published study by IMS Research on the Global Markets for Handheld Media Players over the next five years analyses the forces that may make its dominance only regional and temporary. Despite Apple’s remarkable powers of innovation, it seems questionable whether its stand-alone audio and video players will be able to withstand the challenge of the media-enabled mobile phone.

Worldwide Digital Set-top Box Shipments Expected To Reach Over 200 Million Units by 2011 - 30 June 2006

In a recently published update to its Online Television Database, IMS Research estimates that approximately 96 million digital set-top boxes were shipped in 2005, and forecasts that worldwide shipments of digital set-top boxes will more than double over the next 5 years, surpassing 200 million units shipped by the end of 2011.

Handheld Media Player Suppliers biting into Apple’s Share - 14 June 2006

Wellingborough, UK (June 2006) - Apple continues to enjoy remarkable success with its iconic range of iPod audio and video players. However, a recent study by IMS Research on the global markets for handheld media players over the next five years analyses the forces that may make its dominance only regional and temporary. Apple has shown remarkable powers of innovation, but it remains to be seen whether it can rise to the formidable competitive challenges ahead.

HD Takeover of DVRs - 17 May 2006

The long anticipated growth of the DVR is now being seen and some trends are beginning to emerge. While still early in its growth stage, IMS Research has observed a shift from standard definition (SD) DVRs to high definition (HD) DVRs, particularly in the US.

Transition to Digital Cable & DTH Expands Set-top Box Offerings, Presents Challenges to Operators - 22 February 2006

In a recently published update to its Online Database, IMS Research forecasts that worldwide shipments of digital cable and DTH set-top boxes will increase by 15% over the next 5 years, approaching 74.8 million units by the end of 2010.

European DVR Deployments Moving into Fast Forward - 21 February 2006

IMS Research estimates that by the end of 2005, over 2.6 million households in Europe were using a DVR. By 2010, this market is forecast to reach over 41 million households. Growth is expected to come primarily from operator deployments of integrated DVRs, although DTT and FTA satellite DVRs will make a significant contribution to the total market.

IP TRENDS EUROPE WILL BE HELD IN MONTE CARLO IN MAY - 01 February 2006

IMS Conferences announced that IP Trends Europe, the premier IP Video event, will be held at the Grimaldi Forum in Monte Carlo, in the costal principality of Monaco, on May 16-17, 2006 . This promises to be a truly unique conference, covering all aspects of IP Video for multi-channel TV, Video on Demand and mobile devices, as well as Voice over IP (VoIP).

Double-digit Growth Forecast for HDTV Market - 09 December 2005

High-definition TVs are starting to see significant growth in global shipments, and are likely to overtake HD monitors in terms of annual units shipped in 2007. Yet, uptake of HD monitors is likely to continue, particularly in markets where free-to-air HD programming and government involvement are both limited.

Europe and China to Lead in IPTV, US a Challenge - 09 December 2005

The worldwide IPTV market is forecast to reach just over 27 million households by 2010. While much of this is expected to be driven by Western Europe and China, the US market will prove to be a more difficult market for IPTV due to highly-entrenched competition.

Satellite Platform Leads in Worldwide HDTV Deployments - 06 October 2005

A recent study on the HDTV market reveals that HD services offered via satellite platforms will continue to have the biggest number of subscribers worldwide when compared to other TV delivery platforms. The worldwide HDTV market is forecast to exceed 87 million households by 2010.

Over 25 Million Digital Satellite TV Households in China - 20 September 2005

China had more than 25 million digital satellite TV households at the end of 2004, a similar size to the US’s digital satellite TV household numbers, according to the latest report from IMS Research entitled The Chinese Market for Digital Set-Top Boxes.

China is On Course to Supply 50% of World’s Digital STB Demand - 20 July 2005

China supplied 35% of the worldwide digital set-top box market (including the Chinese market) in 2004, and more than 50% of all worldwide digital set-top boxes are forecast to be produced in China by 2010, according to the latest report from IMS Research entitled The Chinese Digital Set-Top Boxes.

Operators Take On HDTV - 14 March 2005

Only 26% of the top 89 TV operators worldwide, as defined by a recent IMS Research study Making Digital TV Pay, are currently offering high-definition TV (HDTV) services to their subscribers. This would seem to imply that HDTV is still not a reality for most subscribers. However, looking on a regional basis, IMS Research finds that within the Americas 16 out of 23 top operators, or 70%, are already providing HDTV to some portion of their subscribers.

New Services Affect the Demand for STBs in US & Canada - 21 February 2005

Shipments of set-top boxes in the US and Canada region is expected to be driven by deployments of advanced set-tops, such as HD and DVR boxes. IMS Research forecasts that this region will account for approximately 26% of the worldwide STB market in 2009.

Worldwide Shipments of iDTVs Expected to Surge - 14 February 2005

Shipments of integrated digital TVs are expected to grow substantially over the next five years. The US is likely to become the strongest iDTV market by 2009, beating out current leader Japan where satellite-capable iDTVs have enjoyed significant adoption.

Inverter Use in White Goods Set to Explode - 02 February 2005

The electronic content of major home appliances (MHA) is set to rise sharply over the next five years, partly driven by this growing adoption of inverter-based variable speed control solutions. IMS Research forecasts that the number of major home appliances using inverter-based variable speed control solutions is to multiply four-fold between 2003 and 2008.

Bright Future for European HDTV - 29 October 2004

After many false dawns, European High Definition Television (HDTV) finally looks as if it is here to stay, according to Ian Weightman, Senior VP at IMS Research. Speaking after the recent international SMPTE conference in Milan, Italy, where he unveiled the research company’s latest forecasts for European HD, Weightman said “until recently, the future for European HD looked bleak. The removal of EU funding had effectively killed the EU-95 initiative, and most of the cable operators were simply trying to survive rather than plan advanced television services. However, things have changed markedly in recent months, spurred by the successful launch of the first pan-European HD channel, Euro1080’s HD1, operating from the Astra satellite platform.”

DVD Recorders Replace DVRs and STBs - 13 July 2004

IMS Research expects that hard disk drives and digital tuners will be integrated into the majority of the 61 million consumer DVD recorders shipped in 2009.

Cellular TV Comes to Life - 11 May 2004

There are several drivers that have created a market for TV over cellular service. IMS Research forecasts that Live TV over cellular services will be employed by more than 120 million users worldwide by the end of 2010.

DVD Recorders Start to Turn Blue by 2009 - 05 May 2004

IMS Research expects that next-generation, blue-laser DVD recorder shipments will grow to nearly 8% of the consumer DVD recorder market. Blu-ray Disc and AOD are anticipated to be the two competing formats that make up the majority of DVD recorders shipped worldwide.

Integrated Digital TV Market to Reach 116 Million - 11 March 2004

Although the sales of integrated digital televisions (iDTVs) have been slow to ramp-up, shipments are expected to accelerate strongly from 2005, reaching 116 million units in 2015. So far, iDTVs have been seen as a premium product in Europe, with low cost set-top boxes being preferred for digital terrestrial reception, and most digital TVs sold in the US do not include the tuner. According to IMS Research, this is all set to change.

European Digital TV Market Recovery Underway - 18 December 2003

A recent IMS Research study paints a more positive outlook for the future of the European digital television market, despite past failure of digital terrestrial pay-TV services and the bankruptcy of many of the cable operators.

More Than Falling Prices to Drive iDTV Market - 12 November 2003

According to a new study by IMS Research, various market forces are expected to positively affect adoption of integrated digital televisions (iDTVs), hence worldwide iDTV shipments are forecast to exceed 26 million units by 2008.

Set-Top Box Markets on the Rebound - 06 November 2003

According to a new study by IMS Research, the worldwide market for digital set-top boxes is poised for growth after a slow 2002, with box shipments expected to more than double by 2008, with much of the growth coming from the Asia Pacific region.