Digital Lifescapes

The mobile gaming market continues to be a high-growth opportunity. International Data Corporation (IDC) released the findings from its latest market study, a comprehensive assessment of the current state and future direction of smartphone, tablet, and gaming-optimized handheld (GOH) hardware and software. Their forecast details the outlook for Apple, Google Android, Microsoft, Nintendo, Sony, and a wide range of game software developers and publishers from a mobile device and portable gaming perspective through 2017. The GOH market category -- typified by the Nintendo's 3DS and Sony's PlayStation Vita -- has recently been overshadowed by gaming-capable smartphones and media tablets and this trend is likely to continue. IDC research shows, for example, that the number of paying smartphone and tablet gamers will surpass the number of paying GOH gamers worldwide in 2013 and rise at a rapid rate through 2017. The number of GOH bundles shipped, meanwhile, should fall at an ...

The ever growing popularity of mobile devices -- such as media tablets and smartphones -- combined with the growing usage of interactive apps will drive continued sales of integrated micro electromechanical system (MEMS) sensors. New market intelligence from ABI Research projects the MEMS sensor market in mobile devices will be valued at $1.2 billion by the end of 2012 and reach $2.8 billion in 2017. "Although mobile device unit shipments are the primary driver for the bulging MEMS sensors market; there are numerous other factors in play propelling MEMS sensor growth in the mobile device sector,” says Josh Flood, senior analyst at ABI Research . Smartphone users expect their device to be intuitive and capable of interacting without pressing a button. Embedded sensors make this interaction possible — from changing the device orientation view to turning or tilting the device while playing a game. The most commonly used sensor is the accelerometer, enabling devices to switch ...

According to the latest market study by ABI Research, despite the ongoing marketing campaign to educate audiences about the Intel-based ultrabook computers, most mainstream potential users have not been interested in these relatively high-priced systems. In hindsight, ABI believes that Intel was too optimistic with its prediction that 40 percent of all notebook computers this year would be ultrabooks. Clearly, that has not happened. Uptake of expensive thin and light notebook computers during the first half of 2012 was disappointing, though new market data from ABI Research now forecasts 20 million will ship worldwide in 2012. Ultrabooks -- a term coined by Intel for ultra-portable computers based on its processor architecture -- are part of the broader portable computing market typically associated with the latest notebook PC phenomenon. Targeted at the mid-range to high-range price category, the most popular ultra-portable computer today is the Apple MacBook Air. "Init...

Media tablet adoption is already having an effect on other mobile reading devices. Eleven million eReaders are projected to be shipped globally in 2012. That's down from a peak volume of 15 million devices in 2011. Moreover, the growing popularity of media tablets -- along with declining U.S. baby boomer population and lack of organized digital bookstores outside of the America and Western Europe -- will reduce the eReader opportunity over the next five years. “Regardless of the tremendous historical eReader success, the market tides have already begun to turn,” says Joshua Flood, senior mobile devices analyst at ABI Research . Despite the average tablet selling for more than $465 as a result of Apple’s dominant market position, tablets are expected to outsell eReaders by a factor of nine to one this year. Nevertheless, the eReader market will not be totally cannibalized by media tablets. We believe there will always be a niche market for the dedicated reading device for v...

According to the latest market study by Juniper Research, they now forecast that eReader shipments will reach 67 million by 2016 -- that's nearly triple the 25 million devices they expect to reach the market in 2011. While this is less than half the 55.2 million media tablets that will be shipped this year, the price of the market-leading Amazon Kindle eReader has fallen significantly (from $349 to $79) since it was launched. According to Juniper's assessment, electronic ink technology will ensure that eReaders continue to carve out a significant niche in the portable wireless device ecosystem. Amazon recently announced its first media tablet, the Kindle Fire, which many thought might signal a shift away from dedicated eReaders in its overall device strategy. However, in tandem, it announced three new Kindle eReader models -- two of which include touchscreen technology, borrowed from tablets, and now considered as a must-have feature in many of the new devices. ...

IDC Canada released highlights from its third quarter of 2011 (3Q11) market assessment for the PC industry. The overall Canadian Client PC market proved to be fairly resilient with strong shipment numbers despite a negative year-over-year growth rate of -0.4 percent -- just behind the 0.7 percent growth in the U.S. and 1.3 percent growth worldwide. Total PC shipments in Canada reached 1,921,032 units in 3Q11, which is a mere 6,833 units shy of the all-time high set in Q3 2010. Portable PC market performance posted a strong 5.7 percent year-over-year growth on 1,368,432 units. Portable shipments in 3Q11 were the highest on record and just short of the total shipments for the full year 2005. Portable PC shipments in Canada made up 71.2 percent of all shipments, which is higher than the worldwide share for portable PC shipments of 64.7 percent. As expected, desktop PC shipments were down 12.7 percent year over year with only 552,600 units shipped. HP led the overall Canadian Clien...

The telecommunication services boom in the emerging markets of the Asia-Pacific is expected to continue in 2011, and will drive the total mobile subscription rate in the region to grow by more than 15 percent. According to thee latest market study by ABI Research , the mobile market in the Asia-Pacific still has the potential to grow at more than a 10 percent rate for the next two years. The smartphone market is also forecast to have healthy growth, with 24 percent share in total handset shipments in 2011 -- that's up from 17 percent in 2010. Smartphone shipments in Asia will see a significant growth of 56 percent in 2011, which indicates the growing demand for smartphones in emerging Asian markets. Smartphone shipments in Asian markets will see a boost for Android-based smartphones, with market share increasing to 52 percent in 2011, up from 16 percent in 2010. As a result, the combined market share of Samsung and HTC, the leading Android-based smartphone makers in A...

You've been thinking about your next portable computing device, but you can't decide because there are now numerous options to consider. Perhaps the next device that you purchase won't be called a computer. Does it matter? Media tablet shipments surpassed netbook personal computer (PC) shipments this quarter -- reaching 13.6 million tablets, compared to just 7.3 million netbooks. Netbook PCs had previously led the way with 8.4 million shipments in 1Q11, compared to just 6.4 million media tablets. “This is a trend that we do not expect will reverse,” says Jeff Orr, group director, mobile devices at ABI Research . “As they are different segments, this is not a direct replacement behavior, but a changing of leadership for the most interesting device type.” Driving media tablet interest is Apple’s iPad 2. In fact, 68 percenet of the media tablet shipments in 2Q11 consisted of Apple iPad models. Consumers are choosing tablets over netbooks for a number of reasons. Med...

Worldwide personal computer (PC) shipments increased by 3.6 percent in the third quarter of 2011 (3Q11) compared to the same quarter in 2010, according to the latest market study by International Data Corporation ( IDC ). The results are up slightly from the 2.7 percenet growth experienced in 2Q11, and just below IDC's August projections for 4.5 percent growth in the quarter. The Americas and EMEA were slightly below expectations while the Asia-Pacific markets were slightly ahead. The market continues to struggle as consumer discretionary income is diverted to other areas and business spending remains depressed in light of other priorities and a potential double-dip recession. "For the moment, PCs have taken a backseat to a range of other devices competing for shrinking consumer and business budgets," said Jay Chou, senior research analyst at IDC. While growth is expected to stay in mid-single digits in the fourth quarter, IDC expects to see faster growth in 2...

Worldwide personal computer (PC) shipments are expected to grow by 4.2 percent in 2011 -- down from a February forecast of 7.1 percent, according to the latest market study by International Data Corporation ( IDC ). A combination of declining first quarter shipments, an increasingly conservative economic outlook, the relative saturation among developed market consumers, and competing products will lead to slow growth during the remainder of 2011. For 2012 through 2015, total PC market growth is still expected to fall in the 10 to 11 percent range. Consumer PC purchases have been a cornerstone of growth over the past five years. During this time, a transition to low-cost portables helped drive purchases by new users in emerging markets -- as well as replacement and secondary systems in more mature markets. Consumer PC shipment growth averaged 18.9 percent from 2005 to 2007, almost 7 percent faster than commercial shipments. During 2008 and into 2009, consumer growth was actuall...

The portability of content from one digital device to another represents the future of media consumption, according to the latest assessment by eMarketer . The market is constantly shifting, due to changing user preferences and an evolving consumer electronics landscape. Device manufacturers, marketers and content publishers are all challenged to make digital content available anywhere, anytime and on any user preferred device. "Even as the landscape evolves, the market for portable electronics is growing unabated," said Noah Elkin, eMarketer senior analyst. Morgan Stanley expects high-speed wireless Internet-enabled device shipments to more than double worldwide between 2009 and 2013. Other researchers and analysts agree that the mobile device market will continue its upward trajectory. "From their in-home television and entertainment networks, consumers have grown accustomed to an on-demand culture," said Mr. Elkin. The combination of always-on devices and broadb...