Telecom Lead America: Over 60 percent of U.S. tablet
owners use the device weekly to listen to music.
By 2016, over 90 million home audio units, almost 60
percent of a worldwide market that includes A/V receivers, MP3 speaker docks,
sound bars, and home theater systems, will ship with embedded networking
solutions such as DLNA and Apple’s AirPlay.
Audio product manufacturers will add networking to
connect their products to mobile devices and streaming services such as iTunes
and Pandora, according to Parks Associates.
“Consumers are using products such as smartphones
and media tablets for music access and playback, and they want ways to
distribute that content around the home. Networked audio products give them the
ability to have a multiroom music experience,” said Kurt Scherf, VP,
principal analyst, Parks Associates.
Apple’s decision to license its wireless music
distribution technology – AirPlay – and Digital Living Network Alliance’s
uptick in use among vendors are among the key technology trends impacting
growth.
