March 30, 2008

Microprojectors Expected To Be Big In 2009

Microprojectors, such as Microvision's PicoP embeddable cellphone projector, are expected to be available by the end of this year. Small enough to fit in your pocket or placed inside your cellphone, these tiny projection wonders are expected to cater mainly to the business market, enabling presenters to conduct on-the-fly presentations without worrying abour carrying around a clunky projector and finding a suitable screen.

Several different companies are currently working on different microprojection models, many of which will be integrated into cellphones. Stand-alone models are expected to cost about $350 when they first hit the market, but drop to under $300 fairly quickly. And microprojectors are expected to bring in big dollars. As telecom companies run out of ways to make money, microprojection and other video-related technologies are expected to be the next big moneymaker. By 2012, sales are expected to reach $2.5 billion for stand-alone models and $1 billion for module embedded into cellphones and other devices.

You have to wonder though, what the ramifications will be if microprojectors hit it big with the younger markets. Are we going to see guerrilla video presentations in public? Annoying teens playing YouTube clips on the back of people's heads on the bus? We can't wait to see!

Via The New York Times