2005: the year analog died

Filed in archive Industry on January 11, 2006

Digital MP3 player sales surpassed analog CD players in 2005. While digital music media sales are a tiny fraction of CD sales, the changeover in technology and format makes it clear that the future is digital.

Other items of note from the article:

"The Computer Electronics Assn. estimates that MP3 player revenue increased 200% to more than $3 billion in 2005. ... Apple claims to have sold more than 30 million iPods to date, but will likely have shipped a total close to that number in 2005 alone. Research firm NPD Group estimates MP3 player revenue at leading retailers topped $500 million on sales of more than 3.3 million units for the five weeks between Thanksgiving and Christmas--a 65% jump in dollar volume from the 2004 holidays. Sales of MP3 accessories were big too, topping $160 million during the five-week period. NPD figures exclude direct sales of iPods through Apple Computer and online sales."

"We have definitely moved," says Stephen Baker, VP of analyst services for NPD, "from MP3 players being a computer-oriented product to a consumer-directed product."