Projector sales hit 9.5m in 2012

Regional growth mirrored macroeconomic performance, says PMA

A total 9.5m projectors were sold worldwide in 2012, according to a research round-up from specialist analyst PMA.

The figure represents only a slight increase over 2011, said the US market watcher, as developed markets experienced challenging conditions throughout the year.

"In north America and western Europe, constrained education funding affected overall projector sales, though interactive projectors and ultra-short-throw models remained as bright spots in these regions," PMA said in its announcement, referring to the mainstream 1,000 to 3,999 lumens segment.

"These two mainstream segments - interactive projectors and ultra-short-throw projectors - finished the year up more than 30 per cent on a worldwide basis as growth also accelerated in emerging market countries."

In the mainstream segment, education tenders continued to boost Asian sales, particularly in the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN), India, and the Philippines. China also finished the year strongly after an economic slowdown in mid-2012, as did Brazil.

Sales of projectors offering 4,000 lumens or more did even better, registering a double-digit growth rate in 2012, PMA said, and sales at the other end of the spectrum, of new-era sub-1,000 lumens projectors, saw a 35 per cent gain in the second half. Personal projectors also saw an upswing at the end of the year, it concluded.