Report Details

2011 Picoprojector/Camera Report:
A Market and Technology Study Covering Picoprojectors Embedded in Still and Video Cameras

Quick Facts

Date of Release: Publisher: Authors: Number of Pages: Number of Figures: Number of Tables: Price:

March 2011 Insight Media Matthew Brennesholtz, with contributions fromChris Chinnock and Norbert Hildebrand 212 108 50 $1,500 (Additional Insight Media reports in the 2011 Pico/Micro Projector Report series will be priced at $500 each to purchasers of this report.)

The Need:

Cameras with embedded picoprojectors were first introduced commercially in 2009 and since then have been introduced by multiple additional vendors. These cameras include both still and video cameras. Sales to date have been respectable and significant growth in this market is expected in the future. Component suppliers, pico module makers, camera makers and others need to understand the consumer needs in this market in order to provide products that sell in significant quantities. This report is designed to address these needs.

Careful evaluation of the technology, markets and end-user needs are required to create forecasts that are realistic. This sober and independent evaluation is required to understand and plan for developments in the projector camera market, as well as the market for pico/micro projectors, in general.

Report Organization:

To address the key questions for this market, Insight Media has taken a close look at the digital still and video camera markets, the existing projector camera market, the competition from other display technologies and the ability of the current and expected picoprojector technology to meet the needs of end-users. From this information, Insight Media has forecast projector camera sales through 2016.

The pico/micro projector market can be broken into six market segments, as shown in the Table below. Only the digital camera market is addressed in this report. Separate reports will discuss the other segments, with the Smart Phone Handset report already available.

Part 1 of this report covers the technology, human factors and market drivers that are common for all six market segments. Part 2 of the report then takes a deep-dive into how this general information applies to cameras with embedded picoprojectors. In addition, the camera-specific aspects of the market are evaluated, especially from the point of view of consumer end-users and the satisfaction of these users with existing products. Part 2 also provides optimistic, conservative and expected forecasts through 2016 for picoprojectors embedded into digital cameras.

In the near future, Insight Media expects to present reports on the 4 additional market segments. These additional reports will include the same Part 1, but Part 2 of each report will cover market-segment specific technology, applications, consumer expectations and forecasts.

Key Findings:

Some key findings of this report include:

• The best way to group pico/micro projectors is by use-model rather than by technology.
• There is no hard-and-fast line between a "Pico" and a "Micro" projector. Rather, there is a smooth gradation from lowest to highest in all properties, including resolution, lumen output, power consumed, size and price.
  • All four of the available picoprojector technologies, scanned mirror systems, color-filter LCoS, DLP microdisplays and Color-Sequential LCoS microdisplays are able to meet the requirements for projector cameras.
  • White LEDs, RGB LEDs and RGB lasers can all meet the requirements for projector cameras.
• The main use model for projector cameras is for immediate sharing of photos and videos, over a time scale of seconds to days. Over longer time frames, sharing is more likely to occur via social media, computer monitors or HDTV sets.
  • There are few professional applications for picoprojectors embedded into cameras and Insight Media does not expect to see professional still or video cameras with embedded picoprojectors introduced into the market.
• Pico/micro projector manufacturers and retailers must compete directly with other mobile display technologies for the end-users' eyeballs.
  • In the camera market, the technologies most in competition with picoprojectors are direct view LCD or OLED displays embedded into the cameras.
  • The size of a direct-view display embedded in a camera is limited to about 3.5" (89mm). The main reason to use a picoprojector embedded in a camera is to make an image larger than this for sharing.
• End-users largest concern in the camera and other pico/micro projector markets is the image size that can be made under various ambient lighting conditions.
  • Companies that claim very large image sizes from their picoprojectors are doing themselves, and the industry, a disservice by setting unrealistic expectations among end users.
• The range of forecasts for picoprojectors embedded into cameras (from our conservative to our optimistic) in the out-years of this study is fairly large. Designing and marketing these systems in such a way to meet customer expectations will maximize sales in the out-years. The report provides more guidance in this area.
  

Methodology:

Insight Media has a transparent, comprehensive and unique forecast methodology. For this series of reports, we divided the pico/micro projector market into the six segments shown in Table 1 because end-user expectations are very different for each of these six segments. While the pico/micro projector technology and human factors remain the same across all six markets, the marketing factors, the end-user expectations and the forecast penetration rates into the Total Available Market (TAM) are very different for each segment.

The flow chart below indicates the paths used to generate the final forecast for projector cameras. Our Market Analysis focuses on larger-scale factors that will help drive or slow adoption of projector cameras while our Competitive Analysis focuses on how embedded picoprojectors can create value propositions and compete for inclusion in the camera.

One of the key steps in this process is the Purchase Decision Analyses. In this analysis, the expectations of end users for projector cameras are compared to what these embedded picoprojectors could actually achieve. This analysis was repeated three times for each of two scenarios:

• Picoprojector modules optimized over time for low-cost for embedding in low- and mid-range cameras.
  • Analyzed for 2011, 2013 and 2015
• Picoprojector modules optimized for increasing performance while maintaining current module size, power consumption and cost.
  • Analyzed for 2011, 2013 and 2015

The 2011analysis was done using current projector cameras and current consumer expectations. The analysis was repeated for 2013 and 2015 using forecast technology trends and extrapolated consumer expectations.

Insight Media believes the market for projector cameras is a worldwide market. Therefore, there is no attempt to break down the forecast by region.

Since multiple technologies can meet the requirements for projector cameras, this report does not sub-divide the forecast by technology.

Click here to see full Table of Contents.

Who Should Buy:

Technology planners, marketing planners, business development managers, senior executives, engineering managers and researchers who are:

• Manufacturers of optical, electronic and mechanical components for pico/micro projectors,
  • Including microdisplays, MEMS mirrors, LEDs and lasers for these projectors
• Manufacturers of picoprojector modules
• Manufacturers of picoprojectors, microprojectors and still and video cameras
• CE brands with a current or potential interest in either picoprojectors or digital cameras
• Retailers, both brick & mortar and on-line
• Technology development companies and organizations
• Research institutes and organizations

Deliverable:

The report is delivered as a PDF file under a site license agreement. Follow up questions and limited support is included.

Pricing:

2011 Picoprojector Camera Report:	$1,500 for one company site license/one site location
Multi-site Report Pricing	Contact: annmarie@insightmedia.info

The first report purchased by a company from the Insight Media 2011 Pico/Micro Projector series will cost $1500. Additional reports purchased by a company will be $500. It is anticipated that the series will include six reports, corresponding to the six market segments in Table 1.

More Information: Insight Media, Dian Mecca, (203) 831-8464, info@insightmedia.info.

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