PMA Research’s latest quarterly report on the projector market reveals that during the first half of 2019 worldwide projector revenues jumped more than 15% compared with the first half from five years ago. Year-over-year sales also showed a positive uptick. The increase in revenues for 1H2019 over 1H2018 is especially notable because of a big boost in projector sales in advance of the 2018 World Cup. There hasn’t been a comparable major worldwide sporting event in the first half of 2019 to help drive sales.
“PMA has been covering projectors for more than 25 years,” said Nick Rogers, president of PMA Research. “Like any other high-tech industry, the projector industry has faced significant price compression in many product segments. But that hasn’t stopped manufacturers from constantly developing innovative solutions for business, schools, government and the home that have stemmed the price erosion, dramatically improved price/performance, and attracted new and replacement buyers.”
In recent years, multiple brightness and product segments have driven revenue growth. In the professional segments, super-bright projectors with 10,000 ANSI lumens and higher for concert tours and other live events, themed entertainment, houses of worship, and projection mapping have fuelled growth. Cost-effective midrange laser projectors for universities, as well as interactive and ultra-short-throw projectors for education, have also contributed to the positive revenue results so far this year. One of the biggest winners has been professional laser-phosphor projector segment, which grew 59% in volume and 28% in revenues from 1H2018 to 1H2019.
In the consumer segment, home entertainment projectors including 4K Native and 4K UHD, laser TVs, and highly affordable 1080p and Smart projectors have contributed to projector revenue growth staying in positive territory this year. 4K and UHD projector volumes grew 49% in volume and 19% in revenues from 1H2018 to 1H2019.
While these revenue growth figures do not include the digital cinema market, revenue growth in that projector segment is expected to pick up in future years. The digital cinema market is currently in the early stages of the replacement cycle for the first wave of digital cinema projectors installed over 6 years ago. With the recent introduction of more RGB and laser/phosphor digital cinema projectors, it is expected that replacements in developed markets and continued growth in emerging countries will accelerate digital cinema revenues in future time periods.
PMA Research compiles their projector revenue numbers based on quarterly sell-in data provided by all leading projector manufacturers, which are published in PMA’s Quarterly Census and Forecast series of reports.
