Blu-Ray And Consumer Peripherals Survive The Downturn
Nick Preston, 17/12/2009, posted in "Analysis"
Nick Preston is Sales Director at CCI Distribution. ...more info
Nick Preston is Sales Director at CCI Distribution. ...less info
2009 has been the year of Blu-ray, with distributors and resellers reporting sales of the optical technology increasing by 50% compared to the previous year.
Blu-ray external drives and media have exceeded all expectations during the past 12 months and are now providing a lucrative revenue stream for retailers, e-tailers and system builders battling the economic downturn.
It was, in contrast, a mixed year for internal and external hard drive sales. However, sales still managed to outperform market expectations.
While hard drive capacity has increased, it’s clear that customers are watching their wallets, choosing to invest in cheaper optical storage products or to make a future-proof investment in Blu-ray.
However, forecasts predict a 26% increase in hard drives sales in 2010, and I’m confident. The demand for digital data shows no sign of letting up – as broadband speeds improve and Internet infrastructures improve, high-definition downloads will become the norm and everyone will need somewhere to store this content.
Consumer peripherals sales – incorporating everything from digital photo frames to docking stations and media players – have grown considerably during the past twelve months.
The peripherals sales growth is as an indication of how much the typical consumer lifestyle is changing, with digital photos replacing traditional prints and iPod docking stations replacing home stereo systems. Again, this trend will almost certainly continue into 2010 and beyond.
We’re also seeing a growing demand for network attached storage devices in the home, fuelled by digital age consumers looking to consolidate their devices and build media hubs capable of delivering all of their television, media, DVD and online content.
Many industries are crying out for advanced storage solutions. For example, data manipulation within media organisations such as broadcast or publishing houses is a key area – these companies face the challenge of accessing and editing vast quantities of data in short timeframes, and many lack the tools with which to do this.
CCTV also represents a great opportunity, as modern surveillance technology again requires the ability to store and manage huge amounts of data – not just for security but also for regulatory compliance. All-in-all, it’s clear from both a business and a consumer perspective that storage and multimedia solutions are set to go from strength to strength in 2010.
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