Green short-throw wireless projectors top popularity poll

Specialist projector market analyst finds three features influence most US buying decisions

Short-throw front projectors that offer wireless functionality and are environmentally friendly are likely to prove most popular with buyers, according to new research from US-based analyst Pacific Media Associates (PMA).

Bill Coggshall, president of PMA, said what people said they wanted had changed since its last similar survey, which was in 2009.

"Respondents showed a high interest in short-throw projection, and 40 per cent of future fixed projector purchases are expected to include mounting for a short-throw projector," he said.

"Nearly 70 per cent of intenders say an environmentally friendly projector is an absolute must or very important for their next projector... In addition, more than half the intenders surveyed consider connecting wirelessly to smartphones and tablets as an absolute must or very important."

The poll was from the analyst's sixth biennial 1,000-response survey across US users and "intended" business and consumer users of front projectors, he said.

Coggshall added that probably the most important technology topic for projector manufacturers at the moment is solid state illumination (SSI), which comprises lasers, LEDs, and laser/LED hybrids.

"PMA's end user survey shows that users are in sync with this. So laser or LED or hybrid illumination is very important in helping future buyers meet their 'greenness' needs," Coggshall suggested.

He added that penetration remains "relatively low" for a mature industry in the US. About 60 per cent of organisations that responded own a front projector – up only slightly from 2009. However, projector penetration is expected to increase over the next 12 months, he maintained.