JUPITERRESEARCH FINDS MINIMAL CONSUMER INTEREST IN NEXT GENERATION DVD FORMATS FOR HIGH DEFINITION (HD)
(New York, NY - August 15, 2005) - -- JupiterResearch, a division of Jupitermedia Corporation (Nasdaq: JUPM), reports 6% of online consumers plan to buy new or upgraded DVD players in the next twelve months and only 11% of online households have HD-capable TVs or set-top boxes suggesting consumer interest in adoption of next-generation DVD formats is low. The JupiterResearch report entitled "Next-Generation DVD: Conflicting Formats Will Create Confusion and Slow Adoption" cites the obstacles that manufacturers and media companies backing the two competing standards, Blu-ray and HD-DVD, must overcome to effectively launch a product given minimal consumer interest.
"Historically, consumers have resisted investing in format shifts. The release of multiple HD media formats at high prices adds to consumer confusion and ultimately slows adoption of any format," said Joni Blecher, associate analyst at JupiterResearch. "Although there is consumer interest in the improved viewing experience that's offered by HD, it's not enough to spark a media format shift at present. As a result, consumer electronics manufacturers and media companies will have a difficult time garnering adoption for any single next-generation HD format, let alone two competing versions," added Blecher.
Backward compatibility and low price points are the key success factors for any next-generation DVD format. According to a recent consumer survey cited in the report, 57% of online consumers cited low cost and 54% cited the ability to work with existing players as the DVD features they are most interested in. Vendors and media companies are attempting to use hype to sell HD technology to consumers when what they want is low price and backwards compatibility.
The complete findings of this report are immediately available to JupiterResearch clients online. For additional information on the report or JupiterResearch's Home Theater research service visit www.jupiterresearch.com or contact Kieran Kelly, Vice President of Global Sales and Client Service, at 1-800-481-1212 or researchsales@jupitermedia.com.
About Jupitermedia Corporation
Jupitermedia Corporation (Nasdaq: JUPM), (www.jupitermedia.com),
headquartered in Darien, CT, is a leading global provider of original information, images, research and events for information technology, business and creative professionals. Jupitermedia includes JupiterImages, one of the leading images companies in the world with over 7.0 million images online serving creative professionals with brands like Brand X, FoodPix, Botanica, Nonstock, Comstock Images, Creatas Images, PictureQuest, Liquid Library, Thinkstock Images, Thinkstock Footage, Goodshoot Images, Photos.com, HemeraImages.com, Ablestock.com, PhotoObjects.net, Clipart.com and Animations.com; and JupiterWeb, the online media division of Jupitermedia which operates four distinct online networks: internet.com and EarthWeb.com for IT and business professionals; DevX.com for developers; and Graphics.com for creative professionals. JupiterWeb properties include more than 160 Web sites and over 150 e-mail newsletters that are viewed by over 20 million users and generate over 290 million page views monthly. Jupitermedia also includes: JupiterResearch, a leading international research advisory organization specializing in business and technology market research in 18 business areas and 14 vertical markets.
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