The number of portable consumer electronics (CE) and computing devices in the home has grown over the last couple of years, with each new device creating more digital media content that ultimately must be stored and archived someplace.
Given this backdrop, the need and use for centralized Network Attached Storage (NAS) will become more practical for one reason -- content access. In a digital home network with multiple computing devices, sharing common storage, content access and media sharing becomes a key component of driving consumer value.
In-Stat says that, based upon the findings of their latest market study, they believe that this will push worldwide consumer NAS unit shipments past 11 million in 2015.
"The concept of centralized storage was originally developed for businesses where access to corporate information through a network connected to multiple devices provided a number of competitive advantages," says Norm Bogen, VP Research at In-Stat.
This context, where benefits are gained connecting multiple devices to a centralized network or storage system, never materialized in the home until recently.
Now, with so many different devices in the home, the value of centralized storage is becoming more apparent. The difference, however, is that the need for home network storage is driven by practicality, while in business the driver is efficiency.
In-Stat's latest market study found the following:
- The consumer NAS market opportunity will continue to be driven by consumers that use a number of portable CE and computing devices in the home and demand remote access to their content.
- Europe will claim over 50 percent of all consumer NAS unit shipments in 2015.
- The estimated household penetration of consumer NAS in North America will be 4.4 percent at year-end 2015.
- Worldwide revenue for the consumer NAS market was approximately $678.4 million in 2010.
- The market, which is being led by Buffalo Technologies in terms of units shipped, also includes Apple, Cisco, D-Link, HP, Iomega, LaCie, NETGEAR, Seagate (Maxtor), Thecus, and Western Digital.
