Rich Fiscus
23 Sep 2007 8:12
According to a Parks Associates study, the portable media player market won't really take off until more content is available and devices make improvements to the overall viewing experience.
“The PMP market has not reached one tenth of its potential yet, and this data explains why," contended senior analyst Harry Wang. “Compelling video content and good video viewing experience trump cost of video content as the top two factors that will drive consumers' usage of next-generation, video-focused portable entertainment devices,” he said in citing the survey of PMP owners’ needs.
While portable devices have had video capabilities for years, small displays and little content created specifically for them, along with a high price tag, have held back mainstream adoption.
The study is hopeful about the latest generation of iPods, saying “Apple is close to having a dream device for portable video," but cautions that their highly publicized break with NBC Universal over pricing could open the door for services besides iTunes to flourish, possibly hitting them where it hurts the most - in iPod sales.
Soiurce: This Week In Consumer Electronics