Digital Lifescapes

People everywhere are saving much more multimedia data in online storage services, and more users are forecast to add to this phenomenon. The active accounts associated with personal cloud storage services will exceed 1 billion at the end of 2013 -- that's nearly twice as many as a year ago, according to the latest market study by ABI Research. Over the next five years the global account base will more than triple, reaching 3.61 billion by the end of 2018. In the meantime, the aggregated data storage utilized by personal cloud services is expected to increase from 685 petabytes in 2013 to an incredible 3,520 petabytes in 2018. "Various factors are contributing to the rapidly increasing personal cloud uptake -- including the consumerization of enterprise IT and multiple device ownership. For storage needs, the most far-reaching driver is the expansion and improvement of camera technologies," said Aapo Markkanen, senior analyst at ABI Research . In particular, digital...

Almost every smartphone shipped today has an embedded rear camera and one in three smartphones have a front-facing camera, according to the findings from the latest market study by ABI Research. The number of media tablets with two cameras is even greater. People that buy these devices expect to be able to take reasonable quality photos with their smartphone or tablet -- and the popularity of video calling is driving the integration of front-facing cameras. ABI Research believes that one billion cameras were shipped in smartphones and tablets in 2012. Apart from Nokia’s PureView 808, the majority of smartphone releases in 2012 have kept camera resolution around 8 megapixels. Instead, mobile OEMs have looked into new features such as autofocus, rapid capture mode, best picture, and better image captures for low light environments. "Advancements in imaging technology are opening new doors for smartphones and media tablets," says Josh Flood, senior analyst at ABI Resea...

Today there are many ways to create and share digital multimedia content. Beyond the usual digital camera or camcorder format, visual content can easily be authored and edited on notebook PCs, on media tablets and even on smartphones. Using the latest software or mobile apps, the users of these devices that are equipped with visual capture capabilities are producing HD images and video content that must be stored or archived somewhere. From a historical context, when the number of web-enabled devices in the home was minimal, consumer networked-attached storage (NAS) offered very little value. Free or low-cost online media storage has become the preferred solution for many. However, as the number of portable consumer electronics (CE) and computing devices in the home explodes over the next few years, the need and use for in-home network-attached centralized storage will become more practical for one reason: multimedia content access. According to the latest market study by I...

With personal video sharing and photo sharing gaining interest, Futuresource Consulting has carried out a UK market study to gain greater insight into the media that are being used, the decision-making process and the level of reliance on the available platforms. "An astounding 92 percent of survey respondents told us they are sharing their images with friends and family, either electronically or as hard copies," says Simon Bryant, Principal Consultant at Futuresource Consulting. The survey found that on-camera and via email are the most popular methods of sharing pictures. However, nearly half of all respondents are still sharing physical prints with friends and family -- though this behavior varies widely depending on the age of the respondent. Females are also more likely to share physical prints than males. The vast majority of people surveyed -- 85 percent in all -- also upload personal photos and/or videos to websites, with 16-34 year-olds leading the way. However, the...

The market for digital photo frames has gone mainstream, particularly since prices dropped to affordable levels in the first half of 2009, according to the latest market study by In-Stat. However, most units shipped still lack advanced features such as wireless connectivity to the Internet. Nevertheless, Wi-Fi enabled photo frames are a key growth driver as they will grow at twice the rate of overall digital photo frames in 2010. "Prices for connected frames will continue to decline, and as manufacturers educate consumers about these devices -- the mass market will become more comfortable using the Internet services connected frames support," says Stephanie Ethier, In-Stat analyst. Applications such as sharing and downloading pictures over the Internet, as well as streaming Internet radio and video from online sites like YouTube, are also expected to be primary drivers. In-Stat's market study found the following: - Worldwide unit shipments of all digital photo frames a...

ComScore released the latest figures from the M:Metrics Benchmark Study which reports that photo messaging from mobile phones has grown 60 percent in the United States over the past year and 16 percent in Europe, where photo messaging got an earlier start. "Summer vacations provide the perfect context for photo messaging, as the utility of instantly sharing a holiday moment with loved ones is undeniably compelling," commented Mark Donovan, senior vice president,comScore Mobile Products. "The cameraphone could replace the postcard as the preferred mode to say wish you were here, as even parents and grandparents are snapping and sending photos from their mobile devices." In Europe, where photo messaging is more mature, usage rates are more consistent throughout the year, rising only slightly in summer. From 2006 to 2007, the rate of photo messaging use in Europe during the month of July was average and in August, 7 percent higher than average. Instead, usage spikes du...