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PRESS RELEASE: Worldwide Prints from Consumer Digital Cameras Will Reach 11.8 Billion in 2005 According to a Study by Lyra Research and Photofinishing News
Report forecasts shift from home printing to retail and online print fulfillment for digital images
NEWTONVILLE, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov. 7, 2002-- Total direct prints from consumer digital cameras will grow from 4.5 billion prints in 2001 to 11.8 billion prints in 2005 worldwide, according to a new study published by Lyra Research and Photofinishing News. The report, Opportunities and Challenges in Consumer Online Photosharing and Photoprocessing, studies trends in consumer behavior. While some 80 percent of digital photos were printed at home in 2001, the study projects that, in percentage terms, photos will increasingly be printed at retail locations or via an online service, with home printing accounting for just 53 percent of photos by 2005 (see figure).
This report notes one reason for this change in printing behavior is that consumers are finding the feature-packed digital camera with complex photo-printing software can often be too complicated. Consumers want both capture and output functions simplified. "Over the next couple of years, consumers will begin to favor printing in retail establishments. The prices of prints, when the cost of media and ink is considered, still favor retail printing, although we do expect significant declines in home-printing supplies costs," says Don Franz, president of Photofinishing News, one of the report authors. "Convenience and time considerations will be the deciding factors. We feel that consumers will ultimately opt for that traditional printing choice, although the digital print-fulfillment infrastructure still needs to be put into place."
On the technology side, the report notes that today's photos are produced on a variety of media, including silver-halide, ink jet, and dye-sub media. An in-depth review of worldwide media ratios reveals that silver-halide will continue to be the dominant technology, dropping to just below 90 percent of total prints in 2005. "While silver-halide is dominant, great strides are being made in increasing the speed of ink jet photo printing systems while lowering the consumables costs," says Edward Lee, senior analyst and director of Lyra's Digital Photography Service. "The capital cost of a new ink jet system is roughly half the cost of comparable silver-halide systems. Those selling ink jet systems speak of the 'total cost of ownership' rather than about a per-print cost. From a purely economic analysis, the number of prints that will be produced over the lifetime of the system might determine the choice of ink jet or silver halide."
Opportunities and Challenges in Consumer Online Photosharing and Photoprocessing examines overall worldwide trends in both the traditional and digital photo business. It features more than 112 figures with data on shipments, online albums, photo kiosks, and digital photoprocessing revenue. The report is available in a worldwide edition, plus three separate regional editions for the Americas, Europe/Africa, and Pacific Rim/Rest-of-the-World. A complete description and table of contents for the report can be found on Lyra Research's Web site at www.lyra.com.
About Lyra Research
Lyra Research is recognized worldwide as the leading provider of publications, market information, conferences, and custom research services focused on the imaging industry. Lyra Research now provides imaging industry market research, publications, advisory services, and consulting services to more than 2,000 clients in more than 40 countries worldwide. www.lyra.com
About Photofinishing News
Photofinishing News is the leading information and market research firm serving the photoprocessing industry. In addition to copublishing specialized industry reports, Photofinishing News publishes the annual International Photo-Imaging Industry Report and the biweekly newsletter, Photo Imaging News. http://www.photo-news.com/
(First posted on Thursday, November 7, 2002 at 16:04 EST)
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