The worldwide digital radio
market, both satellite and terrestrial, will grow to over 19 million
unit shipments in 2007, reports In-Stat/MDR. The
high-tech market research firm believes that new content (stations that
only exist in digital) and data services will drive consumer demand for
radios. These factors are already at work in the digital satellite radio
arena in the US and the digital terrestrial market in the UK.
Several hundred million analog radios are sold worldwide each
year, in the form of stereo receivers, CD boom boxes, portable devices,
alarm clocks, and car stereo systems. Reductions in the cost of digital
tuners will convert the more expensive of the analog radios to digital
by the end of 2007.