Recordable DVD drives, media, and applications will experience “dramatic growth” next year and through at least 2006, according to Jon Peddie, president of Jon Peddie Research. He told this to the 100-plus attendees of the Recordable DVD Council (RDVC) ISV meeting at the Comdex trade show in Las Vegas, Nevada.
“When the computer industry stalled this year, IT manufacturers and suppliers finally told the marketplace that the majority of technology they bought to do everything was actually too complicated, too impractical and too expensive,” Peddie said in his speech. “Many in the industry are now approaching video and DVD with the same philosophy, saying they will succeed by delivering the all-in-one box that incorporates TV, DVD, MP3, PVR, game console, home RF and more. These new life forms will appear and disappear because they are based on what the company can do, rather than on what the consumer wants.”
He said that people are buying digital cameras and camcorders because they want to preserve memories, share them later with others, and for pure enjoyment. This will provide the momentum for triple-digit sales at least through 2006 for cameras, camcorders, DVD writers and creation software, Peddie forecast.
Apple was a major player in bringing DVD recording to the masses with its release of a SuperDrive-equipped Power Mac. In February 2001, Apple began shipping a 733MHz Power Mac G4 with the combination CD-RW/DVD-R drive that can read and write CDs as well as DVDs that can be played in consumer DVD players.