The market for products with IEEE 1394 (FireWire to Mac users) continues to be characterized by both “tremendous opportunity and enormous ambiguity,” according to the In-Stat/MDR research group. The high-tech market research firm reports that the high-speed serial bus specification is thriving in both PC and Consumer Electronics (CE) markets and, as a result, shipments of 1394-enabled devices are expected to see a 22.3 percent compound annual growth rate between 2003 and 2008. However, according to Brian O’Rourke, a senior analyst with In-Stat/MDR, “major inhibitors do exist in this market.” These include interface alternatives, including USB 2.0 and Digital Visual Interface (DVI) and High Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI), in addition to a continuing tech slump.
