OWNERSHIP OF PORTABLE DIGITAL MUSIC PLAYERS EXPECTED TO DOUBLE
PARK RIDGE, N.J., July 10, 2002 — About one-quarter (24%) of Net-savvy Americans ages 15 to 35, who don't currently own a digital music player or use a digital music device of any kind, say they plan to purchase a digital music player over the next year, according to a new study conducted by Harris Interactive ® for Sony Electronics. This would potentially double the approximate 21 percent of the U.S. online population, ages 15 to 35 with Internet access that currently owns at least one digital music player.
"Your Musical Taste," conducted by Harris Interactive, surveyed almost 2,000 men and women to determine how they use the Internet to download music. It also evaluated the use of Internet portable audio devices including MiniDisc ® players, MP3 players, CDR-RW players, and other flash media players, to transfer and listen to digital music.
"The study shows us that consumers want to enjoy customized music mixes anytime, anywhere," said Robert Ashcroft, senior vice president of Sony Electronics' Personal and Mobile Products Division. "Music lovers have figured out how to download digital music and customize their collections on the PC, and now they are looking to transfer those collections to a portable device."
Major Findings Determined
Sixty-four percent of the online population aged 15 to 35 are familiar with "ripping" play lists from their CD's and of those, 72 percent do it at least once a month. The enjoyment of downloading comes from being able to customize music collections (83 percent), the ability to choose from a large selection of songs (76 percent) and its simplicity (61 percent). Downloading music is popular among respondents, with 78 percent of them knowing how to download music from the Internet, and two-thirds of those (66%) downloading music at least once a month.
Awareness levels on how to best use this music are lower than expected. Fifty-four percent of those surveyed are still unfamiliar with the process of transferring music from a PC to a portable device—with nearly half (46%) still using their PCs to listen to digital music.
"With digital portable audio products such as Net MD Walkman recorders and CD Walkman players with CD-R/RW/MP3 playback, Sony is in a unique position to offer consumers the right experience for enjoying their music without being tied to the PC," Ashcroft said. "As the use of portable devices becomes more mainstream, so will the practice of transferring music from a PC to a MiniDisc player, Memory Stick Walkman player, MP3 Player or other flash media players."
Results indicate the online savvy audience is aware of portable audio technology, but simply don't know how to use it.
"The majority of online consumers seem to be unaware of the benefits associated with portability—convenience, accessibility and affordability— and so the `ripping,' or CD burning trend continues," Ashcroft said. "Our goal is to show these consumers how easy it is to transfer their music from the PC to a device such as a Net MD player."
"Consumers that currently listen to their digital music on a PC or via CDs they have burned are next to realize the benefits of downloading their favorite playlists to a NetMD ™ Walkman ® player and taking it out on the streets—and we project this trend to be increasingly apparent in 2003," Ashcroft added. "Next year, digital music will truly be wherever, whenever."
Harris Interactive conducted online interviews with 1,916 U.S. residents aged 15 to 35 between June 12 and June 17, 2002. The data were weighted to reflect the U.S. online population aged 15 to 35, with a margin of error of plus/minus 2.2 percent.
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