It is doubtless that the MP3 player has revolutionised the way we listen to music, allowing access to hundreds of tracks, without the need to carry around an expansive record collection. The digital music player has clearly replaced the CD player as a more convenient and usable form of portable entertainment. Today the MP3 player is the ideal travel companion, whether on the train, bus or even on foot. But what is likely to happen in the MP3 player market in the coming years? Here are some of the most likely trends.
Some market experts believe that the MP3 player market will grow, in fact a recent report stated that sales of players are likely to continue for at least another two years. Additionally it is likely in coming years that the advancements in flash memory will mean that the capacity and robustness of players will improve in the future.
Another expected development is that the more fiddly and difficult to operate devices will be phased out in favour of simplistic user interfaces and a greater range of features. For instance, the modern MP3 player is not purely a means of listening to music, today devices hold photographs, videos and in some cases text documents. In addition, they are likely to become smaller in the future although understandably there is a limit to how small these devices can become.
One of the largest challenges to manufacturers of MP3 players is that mobile phone companies now often incorporate playing software into phones. The result will be devices that will have WiFi connectivity to allow the user easy access to online music.
To remain popular MP3 players will have to keep an edge over devices such as portable PCs and games consoles as well as mobile phones. This means that designers will have to incorporate larger screens and better sound quality if they are to retain this competitive edge. It may even become the case that devices incorporate the ability to record digital images, audio files and videos to improve their worth to the consumer.
One factor however that is sure to keep the MP3 player popular is that in the coming years the devices will become considerably cheaper. While the first players were extremely costly, today they are far more affordable. This is the case with many technologies but if a portable media device can offer a range of features that are similar to portable PCs and mobile phones for a fraction of the price they will remain popular with consumers.
Innovative design is also likely to play an important role in the longevity of the portable media device. This has started already with some companies; one such device is a wristband MP3 that contains an OLED screen to save power and also has Bluetooth headphones to do away with those pesky wires. For something the size of a watch it boasts a lot of features and could prove popular. A more fun form of device is the yoyo player, although only still a concept, it is a clever idea that allows the user to recharge the device by simply throwing it like a yoyo. Whether a design like this will ever go into production is debatable although it acts as an example of where manufacturers could take the market should they wish.
Hopefully this article has highlighted some of the challenges that face the MP3 player industry. It has also attempted to recognise how through effective development and innovative thought it will be possible for companies to manufacture popular and highly saleable devices. Whatever the conjecture surrounding the portable media player, it still has some years to run before it is assigned to the spent pile of devices.
Author Resource:
Technology expert Thomas Pretty studies some of the conjecture surrounding future trends and developments in the MP3 player industry.
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