MP3 player market ‘still growing’

Smartphones will not replace dedicated MP3 players any time soon, a Sony executive has said.

Omar Gurnah, Sony UK’s category product manager, told PCR that, despite their high price point, many smartphones could not compare to MP3 players in terms of sound quality.

“Our non-phone MP3 players are still selling really well. The overall market is declining slowly, but innovations like wireless and noise cancelling mean that the high-end of the market is actually growing year on year,” he said.

“Most people probably wouldn’t want to take an expensive smartphone into the gym or out for a run, and likewise, if you’re really into your music there’s nothing worse than having your mobile’s battery die half way through a commute. That’s less of a problem with a dedicated player,” he added.

To read PCR’s full MP3 player sector guide, click here.