"Prices for connected frames will continue to decline, and as manufacturers educate consumers about these devices; the mass market will become more comfortable using the Internet services connected frames support," says Stephanie Ethier, In-Stat analyst. "Applications such as sharing and downloading pictures over the Internet, as well as streaming Internet radio and video from online sites like YouTube, are expected to be primary drivers." PMA Marketing Research reports 29 percent of U.S. households uploaded photos to a social networking site in 2008, an increase from 19 percent in 2007.
Recent research from In-Stat indicates worldwide unit shipments of all digital photo frames are expected to reach 50 million by 2013. Integrated wireless connectivity was identified as a desired feature on their next digital photo frame purchase by more than half of the In-Stat’s U.S. consumer survey respondents. The bill of materials for a wireless 8-inch digital photo frame will come in below $36 by 2013.