Worldwide Personal Storage Market Volume Will Double by 2011, Driven by Data Protection and Backup Needs, According to IDC

Business Wire, July 23, 2007

FRAMINGHAM, Mass. -- A large number of vendors are attempting to capitalize on the growing worldwide personal storage market, which is being driven by the data protection and backup needs of small businesses and consumers. Following two years of remarkable growth, almost 70% in 2006 and over 30% in 2007, the market is forecast to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of more than 20% from 2006 to 2011, a new IDC multiclient study reveals.

"Personal storage is a fast growing product category and has become an important part of the portfolio for many storage vendors," said Wolfgang Schlichting, research director for Removable Storage at IDC. "Opportunities for personal storage providers are all about simplistic, but fool-proof and effective solutions. The opportunity for enterprise storage OEMs is to provide back-end enterprise storage solutions to companies wishing to engage end-users with online storage services."

Among the key findings from the study are the following:

* Capacity and simplicity will remain key drivers for continued consumer and small business adoption, keeping the 3.5in. form factor and USB configured devices popular.

* Mobility is also important for many users, enabling smaller form factor devices to gain some share.

* Ethernet for network as well as direct attached devices will emerge as a popular way to connect, besides USB.

* Brand will play an important role in reaching end-users.

This new IDC multiclient study, Worldwide Personal Storage Forecast and Analysis, allows for a thorough understanding of the external HDD opportunities in the workplace and in the home. The study analyzes the worldwide and regional market demand for external disk drives and market dynamics through 2011. Detailed data is provided in terms of unit shipments by four form factor categories (3.5in., 2.5in., 1.8in., and smaller than 1.8in.), by capacity range within each form factor, by interface (e.g., USB, 1394, eSATA, ethernet), and by four regions (US, EMEA, Asia/Pacific and rest of the world.)

To purchase this multiclient study, call IDC's Sales hotline at 508-988-7988 or email sales@idc.com.

About IDC

IDC is the premier global provider of market intelligence, advisory services, and events for the information technology, telecommunications, and consumer technology markets. IDC helps IT professionals, business executives, and the investment community make fact-based decisions on technology purchases and business strategy. More than 900 IDC analysts provide global, regional, and local expertise on technology and industry opportunities and trends in over 90 countries worldwide. For more than 43 years, IDC has provided strategic insights to help our clients achieve their key business objectives. IDC is a subsidiary of IDG, the world's leading technology media, research, and events company. You can learn more about IDC by visiting www.idc.com.

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