Research and Markets: Wi-Fi Represents Strongest Opportunity in Global Connected Digital Photo Frame Market

DUBLIN-(Business Wire)-September 28, 2009 - Research and Markets (http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/d30eb2/wifi_represents_s) has announced the addition of the "Wi-Fi Represents Strongest Opportunity in Global Connected Digital Photo Frame Market" report to their offering.

Worldwide shipments of digital photo frames will reach 25 million units by the end of 2009, and grow to 50 million units by 2013 due to affordable price points, consumer demand for multimedia support, Internet connectivity, and the market's "gift-giving" status.

The digital photo frame market has segmented based on functionality. Single-function frames only display photos. Multimedia frames display digital photos and support a variety of music and video formats. Advanced digital photo frames support image, music and video playback, but also incorporate wireless Internet connectivity. Internet connectivity will be a key differentiator for digital photo frame manufacturers, and these companies now have a number of wireless options to choose from.

This latest research, Wi-Fi Represents Strongest Opportunity in the Global Connected Digital Photo Frame Market, provides a specific forecast on the Wi-Fi vs. cellular opportunity. It also offers a comprehensive view of digital photo frame shipments, revenue, average selling prices, and expectations for connected digital photo frames. A bill-of-materials analysis and silicon revenue opportunity is also included.

Executive Summary:

Digital Photo Frames Market Driven by Gift-Giving Status

The leading reason future digital photo frame purchasers will buy a frame is as a gift, according to this new research. Among consumers planning to purchase a digital photo frame in the next 12 months, 38% of respondents to In-Stat's survey said they would buy the photo frame as a gift for someone else. As a result, the coming holiday season will be crucial for competitors in the digital photo frame market such as HP, Kodak, Pandigital, Philips, Samsung and Sony.

Overall, global shipments of wireless and wired digital photo frames are on the rise, as prices decline to affordable levels. In-Stat expects worldwide unit shipments of digital photo frames to reach 50 million by 2013.

"The weak economy is certainly slowing growth in this market, as consumers cut back their discretionary spending," says Stephanie Ethier, In-Stat analyst. "However, pricing continues to fall and awareness is growing. In addition, competitors are introducing next generation digital photo frames that support advanced functions, such as multimedia playback of movie clips and audio files, and include support for Wi-Fi or bluetooth connectivity".

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