Strong demand lifts digital camera shipments by more than 31% in 2oo6 |
|
Friday, Jun 01, 2007
Dubai: Digital camera shipment to UAE volumes shot up more than 31 per cent to over 400,000 devices in 2006, according to independent research firm IDC.
But prices on the other hand were pushed to new lows by technology advances and competition - with factory revenue grew just five per cent to $126.3 million.
"Although falling prices were the main driver behind the growth in demand for digital cameras in the UAE, the booming economy has also played a key role," says Rasheed Al Janabi, research analyst, IDC MEA,
"Oil revenues reached record levels last year and helped take GDP growth past 10 per cent in the emirates, resulting in continued investments and an influx of expatriate workers and tourists with disposable income to spend on consumer electronics."
Sony, Canon, and Nikon maintained a firm hold on the top three positions in the market last year, recording about 59 per cent of unit shipments.
All three managed to increase their market share in 2006 compared to 2005.
"Last year's surge in buying brings the UAE in line with European markets in terms of cameras per household," says Al Janabi.
"IDC nevertheless expects rapid growth to continue this year, as the UAE - Dubai in particular - serves as a business hub and shopping centre for the entire region."
He says the city's success in establishing itself as a prime tourist destination, coupled with events such as the Dubai Shopping Festival and Gitex Shopper, designed to draw shoppers, are all factors that contributed significantly to sales growth, with tourists and visitors constituting a significant percentage of camera buyers in the UAE.
Demand in the UAE continued to shift towards cameras with greater image resolutions as their prices dropped. The 6MP segment was dominant in 2006, as opposed to the 5MP segment a year ago.
Digital still cameras with 3x optical zoom cemented their presence in the market in 2006, taking a significant share from cameras without optical zoom, he added.
© Gulf News 2007. All rights reserved.
Comment on this article 
Loading ...-
Zawya encourages you to add a comment to this discussion. You agree that when you add content to this discussion your comments will not:
1.1 Contain any material which is libelous or defamatory of any person, is obscene, offensive, hateful or inflammatory or causes damage to the reputation of any person or organisation.
1.2 Promote sexually explicit material, violence, discrimination based on race, sex, religion, nationality, disability, sexual orientation or age or any illegal activity.
1.3 Be made in breach of any legal duty owed to a third party, such as a contractual duty or a duty of confidence.
1.4 Be threatening, abuse or invade another's privacy, or cause annoyance, inconvenience or needless anxiety.
1.5 Be used to impersonate any person, to misrepresent your identity or affiliation with any person, or be likely to deceive any person.
1.6 Give the impression that they represent Zawya.
1.7 Advocate, promote or assist any unlawful act such as (by way of example only) copyright infringement or computer misuse. - The content posted on www.zawya.com is created by members of the public. The views expressed are theirs and unless specifically stated are not those of Zawya. Zawya reserves the right to review all comments prior to posting and edit or delete any contribution, but Zawya is not responsible for and can not be held liable for any content posted by members of the public on www.zawya.com.
- Zawya is not responsible for the availability or content of any third party sites that are accessible through www.zawya.com. Any links to third party websites from www.zawya.com do not amount to any endorsement of that site by Zawya and any use of that site by you is at your own risk.
- By submitting your comment, you hereby give Zawya the right, but not the obligation, to post, air, edit, exhibit, telecast, webcast, re-use, publish, reproduce, use, license, print, distribute or otherwise use your comments worldwide, in perpetuity.
Stories
Companies
| Company Name | Country | Industry |
| Consolidated Contractors Company | Overseas | Construction and Design |
| Saudi Binladin Group | Saudi Arabia | Construction and Design |
| Emirates Aluminium Company | UAE | Metal Production |
| Abu Dhabi Investment Council | UAE | Investment Firms and Funds |
| Al Azizia Panda United Company | Saudi Arabia | General Retailers |
| Emirates Telecommunications Corporation | UAE | Telecommunications Services |
| Saudi Electricity Company | Saudi Arabia | Electric Utilities |
| Ras Girtas Power Company | Qatar | Electric Utilities |
| Barwa Real Estate Company | Qatar | Landlords and Developers |
| Abu Dhabi Investment Company | UAE | Investment Banking |
Projects
| Project Name | Country | Sector |
| Ras Girtas Power Company - Ras Girtas IWPP | Qatar | Power and Water |
| IGD - Gasco - Habshan 5 Gas Processing Plant | UAE | Oil and Gas |
| Emirates Aluminium (EMAL) - Smelter Complex | UAE | Industry |
| SATORP - Jubail Refinery and Petrochemical Complex | Saudi Arabia | Oil and Gas |
| Takreer - Ruwais Refinery Expansion | UAE | Oil and Gas |
| Qatar Foundation - Sidra Medical and Research Center | Qatar | Real Estate |
| Aramco/Dow Chemical - Ras Tanura Integrated Refinery and Petrochemicals Complex | Saudi Arabia | Oil and Gas |
| SATORP- Jubail Refinery and Petrochemical Complex - Conversion Unit and Sulphur Package (Part 2) | Saudi Arabia | Oil and Gas |
| Abu Dhabi Ports Company - Khalifa Port and Industrial Zone (KPIZ) | UAE | Infrastructure |
| Dubai RTA - Dubai Metro - Purple Line | UAE | Infrastructure |