Tuesday, 6 May 2008

Digital Technology Growth

In today's digital-intensive world, young children represent a key target demographic for digital consumer electronic (CE) devices.

According to In-Stat reports, traditional CE and semiconductor companies are in a strong position to benefit from the emerging edutainment toy segment. This is because the technology they offer for mainstream portable CE products is the same technology that will be a key driver for continued growth in the edutainment toy market.

"Digital technology is now the norm for today's child and they are extremely comfortable using CE products," says Stephanie Ethier, In-Stat analyst.

Ethier adds, drivers for the edutainment market include lower technology costs, increased shelf space within mass-market retailers, an increased number of connected portable edutainment toys, and a growing parental demand for educational value in their children's toys.

On the other hand, one of the fastest growing segments in the overall toy industry is the edutainment market. As a result, the worldwide market for edutainment toys will reach USD9 billion by 2012 and will grow to 146 million units by that year.