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The Future: No More Shiny Discs. Who Benefits?

It seems the world continues to embrace iPods, TIVO type devices, hard drive recording cable TV set top boxes and cell phones that play MP3s.

Even hard core, geeked out audiophiles like ourselves seem to be slowly but surely adopting PC based music libraries.

So my question is this:

As people in Peoria learn what "ripping" means
And even mothers in law get iPods for Christmas
And music, movies, photos, etc migrate to hard drives

Hard drive space just seems to get cheaper, but could this nonetheless fuel demand for drive makers?

Will digitized media force consumers to upgrade to more expensive chipsets or hardware?

Will HDTV content drive the success of certain companies?

Which countries are most likely win manufacturing business?

I am trying to develop some ideas for conversations in my business on these topics and would greatly appreciate any thoughts.

Thank you very much.
cwlondon

Showing 1 response by ngjockey

ngjockey
1,042 posts
 
Audiophiles would NOT benefit. If online distribution becomes standard, then MP3's and it's compression might become the only way to find rare recordings.

I've noticed that stores like Future Shop and Best Buy have been downsizing their CD stock over the past several years and only ordering top selling, youth oriented music. Jazz, blues and classical are not restocked. Together with smaller "record" stores going out of business, I'm beginning to get concerned not just for consumers but artists as well.
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