Installations of digital cinema projectors will reach 80,000 units in 2012 with 4K units accounting for one third of total shipments, according to Pacific Media Associates (PMA).
The projector market information specialist predicts a healthy year for projector shipments in 2012, projecting a 31% increase.
Mainstream projector shipments will suffer from continuing uncertainty but PMA still expects double-digit growth in BRIC countries and developing markets. The company says education tenders will still play a pivotal role in emerging market growth and has forecast the Mainstream projector category will grow by 8% in 2012.
Michael Abramson, VP of projector research at PMA, said: "We can expect the second half of 2013 to mark the beginning of a more resilient projector demand, as we expect recessionary pressures to continue to plague Europe in 2012 and the recovery in the US will also remain tempered for the coming year".
The Mainstream standard-throw resolution mix is expected to move to more Wide XGA in all regions, though there remains a significant gap in widescreen penetration between developed vs. developing countries. PMA also predicts that interactive and short-throw projectors will continue to see favorable growth and outperform the overall market. But, as people are opting for these interactive or short-throw features, they are balancing the incremental costs for these features by choosing XGA models over Wide XGA ones.
The High-End projector category is also expected to outperform the overall projector market this year and next. PMA predicts an 18% increase in shipments for this category in 2012. This will be driven by an upward migration in brightness and resolution, as well as an increased need for large-venue projectors in developing countries.