(July 18, 2002) Las Vegas -- The one-billionth DVD software
unit is anticipated to ship to retail in July according to
an announcement made by the DVD Entertainment Group at the
Video Software Dealers Association convention in Las Vegas.
According to figures compiled by Ernst & Young on behalf
of the DEG, more than 272 million DVD movies and music videos
shipped in the first six months of 2002, an 80 percent increase
over the same period last year.
Since the inception of the format in 1997, software shipments
in North America have reached more than 947 million units,
according to the DVD Entertainment Group.
Recent growth areas for DVD-Video include family programs,
concerts and music videos and TV programming. More than 16,000
titles are currently available with more than 100 new DVDs
released each week.
The group also reported that 8.1 million DVD players shipped
to retail in the first half of 2002, a 53 percent increase
over the same period last year, bringing the total players
shipped since the format's launch to 40 million. The DEG estimates
that more than 20 million DVD players will ship to retail
this year alone.
According to figures compiled by the group based on retail
and manufacturer data, DVD players sold through to U.S. consumers
have reached nearly 39 million, with the format currently
in nearly 30 million households (adjusting for homes owning
two or more DVD players).
"If growth continues at the current rate, DVD will
be in more than 40 million households by the end of 2002,"
said Reid Sullivan, DVD Entertainment Group board member and
Panasonic Consumer Electronics Co. vice president, entertainment
group. "When you also include the growing number of PCs
with DVD-ROM drives and game consoles with DVD capability,
nearly 50 percent of U.S. homes will have the format by year-end."
