Mobile connected devices bolster CE industry
July 19, 2011
CEA expects the surging sales of mobile connected devices to be significant enough to push the overall industry higher than previously projected:
– Tablet computers are projected to grow 157 per cent in 2011, with more than 26.5 million units being shipped to dealers and resulting in $14 billion in shipment revenue.
– Smartphone sales will also see major growth this year and will continue to be the primary revenue driver for the industry. Smartphone unit sales will climb an estimated 45 per cent and reach more than $23 billion in industry revenue.
– eReader unit sales will double this year, with more than 16.5 million units being shipped, resulting in $1.8 billion in revenue.
“One year ago, tablets were a new and unproven market, and now they, along with other mobile connected devices including smartphones and eReaders, are leading the entire industry to positive growth,” said Steve Koenig, CEA’s director of industry analysis. “The revenue boost from these innovative products is undeniable as a number of other CE segments are reaching maturity and sales are naturally declining.”
CEA estimates 88 per cent of US households own at least one digital television. Given this high penetration rate, sales of digital displays are expected to fall this year. However, this category remains an important contributor to the industry’s bottom line with 2011 revenues topping $18 billion. Network-enabled displays, however, are a growth segment, with an estimated 10.4 million network-enabled displays shipping to dealers this year. 3D displays will also see better-than-projected growth as 3D becomes a standard feature in displays and is incorporated into more sets across product lines. An estimated 3.6 million 3DTVs will ship in 2011, up from a projected 1.9 million units in January.