facts, figures, & findings - Industry Trend or Event

Emedia Professional, May, 2000 by Michelle Manafy

REMOVABLE storage DRIVE market will grow 19% in 2000

The worldwide optical/removable drive market will follow up 1999's 24% growth with a 19% rise this year. The market's revenue will not fair as well, however. During 1999, revenues managed a 12% increase. This year, they may only achieve a 2% increase, according to IDC. The big story during 2000 will be CD-RW and DVD-ROM, which will increase 93% and 55% respectively. IDC also expects PC OEMs' enthusiasm for CD-RW to affect low-end removable magnetic drives' growth. In 1999, they earned a 41% increase, but this year, IDC expects their shipments to only increase 28%. (http://www.idc.com)

DVD a HIT

DVD players experienced an unprecedented year in 1999 by achieving a household penetration level of approximately 5% after only three years on the market. The results of the DVD Owner Study, released by the Consumer Electronics Associates, indicates that 85% of owners surveyed expressed satisfaction with their DVD player. Overall, 92% of owners stated that the picture quality was very or somewhat important to their purchase decision, followed closely by sound quality, and an interest in digital technology. In terms of content, the average DVD household owns 13 titles. However, 31% of owners who have had their player for at least one year have more than 20 titles. Approximately seven out of ten DVD-player owners rent between one and ten titles per month, and 15% of owners stated an increase in their number of movie rentals. (http://www.eBrain.org; http://www.ce.org)

TECH Exports take the LEAD

The high-tech industry led all industries in imports and exports in the U.S. last year. The high-tech industry exported a record $181 billion in manufactured products to more than 172 countries, according to a joint report from the American Electronics Association and the Nasdaq Stock Market. High-tech exports accounted for 26% of all U.S. goods exports. Computers and office equipment was the top export segment, followed by semiconductors, industrial electronics, communications equipment, and electronic components. The top markets for U.S. technology goods are Canada, Mexico, Japan, the U.K., and South Korea. (http://www.aeanet.org)