In a recent release, Portable Battery Powered Products: Global Markets (FCB023E) from BCC Research the global market for portable battery-powered products was valued at nearly $480 billion in 2011 and is expected to reach more than $611 billion by 2016, yielding an overall compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 5%. The global market for portable battery-powered products can be divided into 12 segments - communication/multifunctional, computers, medical, cameras, toys and novelties, tools, entertainment, timepieces, scientific, lighting, navigation, and military.
The communication or multifunctional segment accounts for more than a quarter of the market, totaling $141 billion in 2011. The segment is expected to grow at a CAGR of 5.2% to reach nearly $182 billion in 2016.
The computers segment, accounting for nearly another quarter of the market, totaled $133 billion in 2011, and is expected to reach nearly $189 billion in 2016 after increasing at a CAGR of 7.2%.
Medical products make up the next-largest segment, which is expected to increase at a CAGR of 9.2% from $75 billion to nearly $117 billion from 2011 to 2016. Of note, the cameras, entertainment, and navigation segments are expected to have declining market segments, all with negative projected CAGRs.
The market for portable, battery-powered products has grown from a few well-established niches such as flashlights and wristwatches to a diverse, rapidly growing market that encompasses computing, communications, entertainment, photographic, and publishing products; a variety of cordless tools; and entirely new classes of military and medical products. This diversity has been accomplished because of a unique synergy between the products themselves, the batteries they employ, and the battery chargers and power-management systems that recharge the batteries.
After spectacular growth, the portable battery-powered product market is retrenching. Overall sales for some market sectors are level. In other cases, whole new classes of products are proliferating at the expense of once-popular lines. Technical advances and a realignment of product, battery, and charger industry players must be matched by new marketing attitudes. Alternately, battery designers and battery charger designers must continue to cooperate to meet more demanding design requirements.
This report will be of interest to manufacturers of battery chargers and battery charger components, as well as a variety of portable product makers. It will also be valuable to those involved in secondary battery development and marketing, as well as those offering competing non-rechargeable batteries.
