 | January 1, 2000 |
SDMI: The Grinch?
Did the failure of the SDMI (Secure Digital Music Initiative) to finalize
its spec steal a happy holiday season out from under manufacturers of portable
digital audio players? Final numbers won't be in until after you read
this, but according to Cahners In-Stat analyst Mike Paxton, the holdup put a
dent in 1999 shipments. "The SDMI delay left lots of manufacturers
sitting on the sidelines this year," Paxton says.
"To make up for
it, many have introduced MP3 players that will be available during Q1."
Cahners In-Stat's forecast for 1999 unit shipments fell from 850,000 to
700,000. But overall, the future remains so bright, you gotta wear shades.
—by Matthew Miller
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