Digital photo frames which run slideshows of favourite personal photographs are set to go mass market as IDC reports that 2.8 million of the devices were sold worldwide last year.
Falling prices and more variety such as larger frame sizes will spur growth and the US market will account for 54pc of all digital photo frames sold worldwide by 2011.
“Low prices, solid products, and surging customer interest reignited the digital photo frame market in 2006,” said Tom Mainelli, senior research analyst with IDC’s Monitors and Projectors research team.
“We expect stellar growth well into the future if the industry can manage looming supply issues.”
IDC predicts that the 5-inch to 6.9-inch frame category made up the bulk of the market in 2006, but the 7-inch to 8.9-inch category will dominate from 2007 and remain in top spot until 2011.
Digital frame prices will also influence sales and prices will decline worldwide by 16.5pc up to 2011.
“As the desire to view digital images on soft displays rather than hardcopies grows, digital frames will realize significant shipment increases in all regions around the world,” added Ron Glaz, program director, Digital Imaging Solutions and Services at IDC.
“To be successful in the future, digital frames will need to seamlessly fit into the evolving digital home content ecosystem and support wireless access to personal digital content for display,” Glaz said.
By John Kennedy
