MP3 Players and Other Portable Audio Players - US - June 2006

Abstract

In 2006, the MP3 and portable audio player market is worth an estimated $5.7 billion in manufacturer sales, almost three times its worth of just over $1.9 billion in 2001. During this time, MP3 players have gone from niche to mainstream products, and consumer portable purchases have switched from models that rely on removable content to those whose content is additive and intrinsic. MP3 players have freed consumers from the need to carry around separate music media like CDs or cassettes.

The title of this report--MP3 and Other Portable Audio Players--reflects this fundamental shift. The MP3 player segment, with only about 5% market share in 2001, surpassed combined sales in all other segments in 2004 to claim well over 50% of the market�fs sales. By 2006, MP3 players are responsible for an estimated 88% of manufacturer sales in the portable audio market.

Ownership among adult respondents is highest at ages 18-24, declining with increasing age, whereas ownership of CD players is more constant for ages 18-54 before falling off, and ownership of portable cassette payers is lowest for the youngest adults.

Retailers who sell portable audio are focusing more on MP3 players, as sales in other segments shrink. By the end of the period under review, portable audio player segments are morphing so that many devices, from CD players to radios, now also feature MP3 capabilities. And besides audio features like radio, MP3 players are also expanding into other functions besides music, notably video.

In this report, Mintel clearly identifies the principal external factors driving or curtailing growth. Exclusive consumer research reveals the attitudes, needs and behavior of consumers, with analysis broken down both by demographic characteristics, and by segment.

Six years of specific sales data provide a factual and impartial presentation of the market as a whole. Mintel also evaluates the performance of individual sectors in the market, and provides information about the major companies and brands. Using the SPSS forecasting package, Mintel creates a five-year forecast of U.S. retail sales, revealing potential opportunities for growth and product development.