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Research and Markets: Video Consumer Devices - Growth Trends in Markets such as Blu-Ray Players, Video Game Consoles, Video Mobile Handsets and Personal Media Players

This research service analyzes certain video consumer device markets such as Blu-Ray players, video game consoles, video mobile handsets, and personal media players. The research also analyzes the Blu-Ray Discs market. The research analyzes the growth trends and forecasts in unit shipments from 2008 to 2013.

Geographical Analysis

The Americas market is the largest for all the console makers and will continue to be so for the forecast period until 2013. The high population density and rapid uptake of technology in countries such as Japan and Korea, and to a lesser extent in Singapore and Hong Kong, see a disproportionately high level of console sales compared to the rest of the world. Console sales are also fairly high in Western Europe and are growing considerably in the emerging markets of Eastern Europe, Latin America, and other areas in Asia.

There are, however, definite patterns concerning where each gaming console sells around the world. While the PS2 has sold very well in the North American, Japanese, and Western European markets since its introduction in 2000, as it crests over its product life cycle apex, it is expected to continue being a top seller in emerging markets, but will drop off in sales in the more established markets.

The PS3 is dominant in Japan and Korea, and as of June 2008, has begun to outsell the Xbox 360 in Europe. It is also steadily increasing its market share in all other regions across the globe, including in the North American market. The XBox 360 still sells more than the PS3 in North America and the relative size of the US market in comparison to the global market has meant that the aggregate global sales of the XBox 360 still beats the PS3 in total sales. The Wii however has been popular across multiple regions. The additional ability to use the Wii to access videos and download them will enable in driving its penetration further.

Competitive Analysis

Gaming consoles are increasingly conforming to next-generation consumer needs such as high-definition and online gaming and downloads of new content. Despite being a seventh generation product and the highest selling gaming console, the Nintendo Wii system does not offer HD quality graphics. The PS2 is a sixth generation video gaming system and has been selling globally since 2000. The PS2 includes a DVD player and displays content in standard definition. The PS2 is expected to experience a decline in penetration over the next few years and then be discontinued.

Both the PS3 and XBox 360 employ high bit-rate graphics and can display content in 1080p HD quality. The PS3 also contains an internal Blu-Ray disc player; an HD-DVD player was initially available for the XBox 360 as an add-on device, but has been discontinued since HD DVDs official demise. Microsoft has chosen not to replace the previous HD-DVD player with a Blu-Ray player. However we expect that the Xbox will include some sort of HD capability in the future.

Through a Blu-Ray player with every PS3 unit, Sony not only has ensured its own market leadership in the Blu-Ray player category, but it has also been highly instrumental in establishing Blu-Ray supremacy among high-definition formats.

Game consoles are increasingly becoming convergence devices for the home, as they can allow consumers to download and access video over the Internet. All three console vendors now allow their consumers to register with various partner content providers and get access to thousands of videos.

The compound annual growth rate (CAGR) for the market is anticipated to be strong for the seventh generation boxes, but the overall market CAGR is expected to be affected by the slow demise of the PS2 and its shrinking sales forecasts, which will act as an anchor on the total market projections and skew the CAGR forecasts for the next two to three years. Further, the global recession is expected to impact consumer spending over the next 24 months or so and thereby affect sales of these products worldwide.

With rapidly growing HDTV sales worldwide, it is expected that consumers with HDTVs will insist on the graphical and quality features of HD-quality gaming consoles. This trend is expected to significantly bump PS3 and XBox 360 sales in the next few years.

Further, both the PS3 and XBox 360 are Internet-enabled, which allows consumers to play multi-player games through their consoles with other similarly connected gamers. Microsoft has recently enabled consumers to use this Internet connectivity feature to download TV shows and movies through the Xbox 360 console. Microsoft has also established a partnership with NetFlix and Amazon.com to allow XBox 360 owners to use it as a set-top box that interfaces with the NetFlix and Amazon.com online video catalogue, through which consumers may stream TV shows and movies. Sony offers 5900 movies and TV episodes as part of its Video Delivery Service.

Nintendo Wii announced the possible launch of similar services in 2009 through partnerships with movie studios and content aggregators, other than its own proprietary platform.

For more information visit http://www.researchandmarkets.com/research/5839f8/video_consumer_dev

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