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Demand for digital cameras will slow over the next few years as the market enters a maturity phase, and the market will begin to shrink by 2011, researcher IDC said.
Global shipments of digital cameras rose 15 per cent in 2006, driven by strong demand for advanced models and in emerging markets, but growth is expected to slow to 8 per cent in 2007, and the market will shrink in 2011, IDC said on Wednesday.
"We predict a slowdown, driven by a complete saturation of all regions, creating negative growth in 2011," said Christopher Chute, an analyst at IDC.
But shipments of digital single-lens reflex (DSLR) aimed at enthusiasts and professionals are expected to remain strong, with average growth of about 9 per cent to 8.5 million units in 2011, IDC said.
Global DSLR shipments in 2006 jumped by 39 per cent.
Japan's Canon Inc and Nikon Corp control more than 80 per cent of the world's DSLR market.
Major players in the overall digital camera market include Sony Corp, Olympus Corp and Fujifilm Holdings Corp.
South Korea's Samsung Electronics jumped up the ranks to 5th place last year from 9th in 2005, while Eastman Kodak ranked third but lost market share from a year earlier, IDC said earlier this month.
- REUTERS
