What's the Next Game-Changing Consumer Device? Yankee Group Has the Answer

New model uncovers devices with the most profit potential

Boston, MA May 13, 2010 - What do connected cars, e-book readers, smartphones and HDTVs have in common? They have all been radically transformed by connectivity.  And in the next decade, driven by both consumer demand and market opportunities, many more connected devices will emerge.

That's according to the Yankee Group Report: "2010 Anywhere Device Index: Identifying the Next Game-Changer." Consumer appetites for connectivity are quickly growing. Data from Yankee Group's Anywhere Consumer: 2009 U.S. Survey indicates that 55 percent of consumers highly value connectivity in e-book readers, 50 percent in MP3 players and 40 percent in HDTVs. But how can device makers distinguish the next big thing from the also-rans?

Yankee Group's new model evaluates 16 CE devices against 10 business and connectivity attributes, and groups the devices into three segments:

  • Anywhere Target Devices, like e-book readers and HDTVs, have the most untapped potential.
  • Anywhere Impaired Devices, like game consoles, digital cameras and portable navigation devices, have only a marginal capacity to innovate.
  • Anywhere Has-Beens, like PCs, netbooks, laptops and MP3 players, have already undergone their transformation.


The key for device makers is focusing on the right attributes. "Anywhere Target Devices tend to have two important features: integrated WAN connectivity and robust developer communities," explains Dmitriy Molchanov, analyst at Yankee Group and author of the report. "Devices with similar features are destined to be the next game-changers."

Other key findings include:

  • New Anywhere Target Devices are already hitting the market. CE makers understand the link between connectivity and profit, and are designing products accordingly.
  • Older devices are being swallowed up. Anywhere Has-Beens are quickly being integrated into newer connected products such as smartphones and connected cars, creating new revenue streams.
  • Portability does not mean connectivity. In-home game consoles, with their online communities and advertising capabilities, demonstrate more potential than their portable counterparts.

About Yankee Group
Yankee Group is the preeminent research and advisory firm equipping enterprises to profit in a mobile world. The core of our content is proprietary research and analytics on the attitudes, behaviors and usage patterns of mobile users. Based on this research, we provide a range of actionable data, insights and advices to marketing, strategy and product executives driving the mobility revolution in leading companies worldwide.

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