Date: 13th Aug 2010
ABI: Digital radio installed base to reach
200 Million by 2015
ABI Research said the digital radio market has just began
to see consumer adoption in the US and Western Europe. By
the end of 2010, about four million digital radios using
iBiquitys proprietary HD Radio technology will have
shipped in the US. In Europe (led by Britain) governments
have chosen the DAB standard and consumers have purchased
nearly 13.5 million radio receivers. By 2015, the worldwide
installed base of digital radio receivers, excluding handsets,
is expected to reach nearly 200 million units.
Smartphones are expected to include digital radio
receivers starting in mid-2011, driven by carriers
desire to offer users premium audio content while limiting
the use of scarce radio spectrum, says ABI Research
senior analyst Sam Rosen. This concern is demonstrated
by AT&Ts decision to stop offering unlimited data
plans, due largely to high data usage in New York and San
Francisco resulting from Internet radio sites such as Pandora.
The US adoption of HD Radio began in the automotive
sector, but finally extended into portable and home devices
in 2010. The adoption of DAB radios in Europe has been led
primarily by tabletop radio sales in the UK, says
Rosen. In addition to the US and the UK, Switzerland, Denmark,
and Norway all have significant broadcast infrastructure
in place, with Australia, Germany and France to complete
the majority of their infrastructure in 2011.
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