Parks Associates reports over 60% of U.S. tablet owners use the device weekly to listen to music, and these consumer habits will drive deployment of home audio products with embedded networking technologies.

The research firm’s report Networked Audio Products: Market Update says audio product manufacturers will add networking in order to connect their products to popular mobile devices and streaming services such as iTunes and Pandora.

“The continuing popularity of music services is pushing consumers to find new ways to enjoy their growing libraries of audio content,” said Kurt Scherf, VP, principal analyst, Parks Associates. “Consumers are using products such as smartphones and media tablets for music access and playback, and they want ways to distribute that content around the home. Networked audio products give them the ability to have a high-quality multiroom music experience.”

By 2016, over 90 million home audio units, almost 60% of a worldwide market that includes A/V receivers, MP3 speaker docks, sound bars, and home theater systems, will ship with embedded networking solutions such as DLNA and Apple’s AirPlay.

Scherf notes that Apple’s decision to license its wireless music distribution technology – AirPlay – and DLNA’s (Digital Living Network Alliance) uptick in use among vendors are among the key technology trends positively impacting growth.

As manufacturers expand their networked audio products to point-to-point solutions such as MP3 speaker docks, lower-cost external speakers, and Internet radios, they will be well-positioned to take advantage of digital music consumption trends.

Networked Audio Products: Market Update examines key technologies enabling the wireless in-home streaming of music services to a variety of products – from A/V receivers to docks and home theater systems.

Parks Associates is an internationally recognized market research and consulting company specializing in emerging consumer technology products and services. Founded in 1986, Parks Associates creates research capital for companies ranging from Fortune 500 to small start-ups through market reports, primary studies, consumer research, custom research, workshops, executive conferences, and annual service subscriptions.

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