Flatbed scanner sales plummet

The low-end scanner market experienced the most marked decline with a 72.5 percent fall from the same period last year.

IDC analyst Michael Sager said, "The decline in the low-end scanner market is indicative of a technology that is on its way to being a legacy technology. The growth in the digital still and video camera markets has been pronounced over the past year and this has perpetuated the decline in flatbed scanner sales."

Sager also said the growth of Mutli-Function Printers (MFPs), with integrated scanner, printer, copier, and fax capabilities, has also contributed to the huge drop in scanner sales.

"The growth in these respective technologies is eating into the consumer scanner market; however, there is still share to be had in the mid to high-end scanner market," Sager said.

Canon continued to lead the market with a 57.6 percent share of units shipped during the second half of 2003. HP grew by 1.6 points from the first half of 2003 to grab an 18.2 percent share. Epson joined the top three with an 11.3 percent share.