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Study: Home Audio Networking To Gain

Dunstable,
U.K. – Sixty percent of all home audio products shipped in 2014 in the U.S., Western Europe and Japan will feature networking connectivity, up
from a forecast 10 percent in 2012, Futuresource Consulting expects.

 The percentage of AV receivers shipped with
network connectivity in 2011 hit 38 percent and will rise to 62 percent in 2012
and to 90 percent in 2015, the company added.

  Futuresource defined networking as the
ability to interact with other devices on home network and/or with the
internet. The former is considered horizontal networking and includes such
standards or technologies as DLNA and Apple AirPlay. The latter is considered
vertical networking. The company’s definition of networking also includes home
audio devices lacking these capabilities but featuring Bluetooth to stream
music in stereo from portable devices such as smartphones, a spokesperson said.

 “iPhone
and iPad sales are still on the rise and fueling a demand for speakers with
networking capabilities,” the research and consulting company said.
“Subscription services and Internet radio are also driving more interest in
networking, and with the inclusion of Wi-Fi enabled devices, consumers can
stream music directly through installed apps rather than relying on embedded
technology.”

 Interest in
networking connectivity has also been triggered by Apple’s Airplay technology,
the company said. Brands competing with Apple “have recognised the need to
eliminate physical docking [of mobile devices] and consequently adopted the
networking revolution, fueling a growth in networked devices throughout their
product portfolio,” Futuresource added.

 Additional
technologies such as Bluetooth will also play an increasing role in the home,
especially for Android-device owners, the company continued. “This in turn is
giving more consumers the ability to stream content directly from the Internet
through multiple connected devices, with growth in multi-room audio expected as
a result.”

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