Interactive projectors on growth path

PMA predicts global shipments will almost treble between last year and 2015

A quarter of projectors will have some form of interactivity by 2015, according to analysis from global projector market analyst Pacific Media Associates (PMA).

Bill Coggshall, president of PMA, said worldwide shipments of projectors that have any form of interactive functionality are on track to grow from the 1.1 million reported last year to about 2.9 million in 2015.

"New technology is emerging that offers a broader range of less-expensive alternatives that we expect will enlarge the overall market for interactivity," he said.

"[Interactive whiteboard vendors] Promethean and SMART have increasingly saturated the markets in developed countries and wealthier school districts. While these market leaders add entry-level products for education, and look to expand their presence in other vertical markets, a host of new alternatives have emerged that seek to offer similar functionality at lower prices, and we believe they will succeed in considerably expanding the total market."

Coggshall also foresees sales of interactive whiteboards remaining flat, with most of the interactive device market growth coming from interactive projectors, their peripherals and other types of devices.

The claims are based on PMA's first-quarter census of all front projectors.
Coggshall identified two fast-growing groups of products with interactivity. The first is projectors with built-in interactivity. This group is tipped to enjoy compound annual shipment growth of 35 per cent, from 160,000 units in 2010 to 720,000 in 2015.

However, other interactive devices including the iPad-based Doceri from SP Controls, and interactive slates, are expected to grow sales 75 per cent each year, from 60,000 units in 2010 to one million in 2015.