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Insight Media has released a new report that finds that "reduced lumen |
| projectors", i.e. those with lumen outputs of 35 to 700+ lumens over the |
| 2008-2013 time frame, represents one of the best opportunities for unit |
| and revenue growth in the projection industry. |
| |
| The newly released 2009 LED- and Laser-based Ultraportable Projector |
| Report covers projectors of less than four pounds in weight and focuses on|
| how LED and laser sources will be used to augment and supplant lamp-based |
| projection systems. Current ultraportable projectors are lamp-based and |
| represent about 45% of the total projector unit sales. But revenues for |
| this segment will remain essentially flat over the forecast period, even |
| with increasing unit sales.
However, the reduced lumen projector category is forecast to reach over |
| 1.3M units and nearly $800M in revenue by 2013 -- with almost all of this |
| being new projector sales. The low end of this class of projectors is |
| sometimes called pocket projectors, with even lower lumen projectors (not |
| included in this report), commonly called pico or companion projectors. |
| These very low lumen output projectors are covered in the Insight Media |
| 2008 Pico-Projector Market Segment Analysis. |
| |
| Currently, there are a several products on the market that qualify as |
| reduced lumen projectors including the Dell M109s (50 lumens), the Acer |
| K10 (100 lumens) and the LG Electronics HS102 and Samsung P400 (both 150 |
| lumens). All use LED sources with laser-based projectors expected later |
| on.
The key question the industry is asking is can these projectors find a |
| significant place in the market? Based on the extensive analysis |
| performed in this report, the answer is yes, but a qualified yes. To meet|
| the needs of the market, projector makers will need to carefully evaluate |
| product development strategies, projector value propositions and |
| go-to-market options in order to create compelling products that end users|
| will value. The 2009 LED- and Laser-based Ultraportable Projector Report |
| provides 322 pages of technology, market, strategy and forecast analysis |
| looking at how LED and laser-based ultraportable projectors can penetrate |
| handheld, portable and desktop applications. Key findings include: |
| |
| · Ultraportable projectors with solid-state illumination |
| cannot compete with |
| lamp-based projectors on a price basis, especially if the |
| price is measured in |
| $/lumen. Other advantages of solid-state illumination will|
| allow them to |
| become established in the market. |
| · Projector makers should focus on the battery operation |
| of the projectors, |
| especially those that can run off a USB high-power |
| connector
Wide aspect ratio projectors will help differentiate |
| products and not appear |
| "old" when using 4:3 ratio imagers |
| · Marketers need to focus on new users and use models that|
| can "attach" a |
| projector accessory to products that previous were not |
| candidates for more |
| conventional projectors |
| · Manufacturers need to focus on low prices, but add in |
| features that are |
| targeted for the intended use, to position the products for|
| markets that |
| conventional lamp-based projectors cannot reach |
| · Laser-based projectors offer the potential to be the |
| smallest and most |
| efficient projection option, but manufacturers need to find|
| ways to help |
| establish cost effective laser sources |
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