Shipments of DVD players are expected to be up 48 percent this year alone and will overtake VCRs in total units shipped worldwide by 2004, according to market researcher Cahners In-Stat Group. The firm forecasts 28 million DVD players will be sold worldwide in 2001, up from 18 million last year and 9 million in 1999. That number is expected to reach 60 million units by 2004, eclipsing VCR sales. Sales of VCRs typically top 20 million units a year in the United States and more than double that figure worldwide, according to Cahners.
That 60 million figure includes evolving DVD products, such as combo TV units, DVD changers and home-theater-in-a-box products. Many of those combo or home-entertainment devices, until now, incorporated VCR technology.
Holiday DVD sales again set a record-breaking pace, according to market researcher NPD Intelect. Retailers sold 2.4 million units, up 108.3 percent from a year earlier. While retailers sold more VCRs (2.9 million units) than DVDs, sales declined 4.5 percent year over year.
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