What's in store for home theaters? In-stat thinks they know

By Richard Lawler

Grab your crystal ball, kiddies and get forecasting. Reading these are always fun and it will be more fun to look back a few years from now and see how much, if any, was correct. In-stat has published their latest report on "The Changing Face of Studio Video Sales: Grow New Markets, Push High Definition, Get Interactive". Here's a few highlights:

  • By 2009, In-Stat forecasts a worldwide retail value of US$50 billion for annual sales of Hollywood video content sold at retail.
  • By 2009, 41% of U.S. TV households will be watching movies on HDTV displays.
  • DVD players that support HDMI deliver High Definition quality today,
    so next-generation High Definition optical products will need to provide "something more."
  • Over 40% of Japanese households will have wide-screen HDTV sets by 2009, and Europe and other Asian markets are already seeing robust sales of HDTV displays.
  • Portable player products and online download services are likely to lead industry growth, especially in Europe and Asia.
  • The bulk of the Hollywood movie and TV show DVD market value comes from just six countries: Japan, the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, France and Germany.
  • The intense media interest in next-generation optical disc formats is selling lots of magazines, but will not have much impact on the Hollywood "packaged goods" business until late in the decade.

I have got to get to writing one of these reports, at $3,495 a pop I could afford one of these DVD players in no time. That said, how much do you agree/disagree with their points? I think it is true that we won't see next generation DVD formats become truly widespread for a few years, despite Blu-ray being in the PS3.
 
 

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