The interactive whiteboard market has grown at a tremendous pace over the last decade. Initially major uptake was in the UK, Mexico and the USA, but they have now become common place across the globe. As the technology has evolved over the last few years, we are now seeing interactive flat panels gain traction in the market, especially in countries like Netherlands, South Korea and the UK, which has encouraged additional vendors into the market.

The global *interactive displays market has grown 7 percent Year on Year, making it the largest quarter 2 ever with 300,000 displays sold globally. There is a strong transition to higher priced interactive flat panels, which accounted for an astounding 57 percent of the market, and has contributed to value growing fast with a forecast CAGR of 16 percent up to 2019.

However, when you delve into the numbers in more detail the picture isn’t as healthy, especially for western based providers. The Chinese market makes up more than 50 percent of global demand and is serviced almost entirely by local providers. The major FATIH tender in Turkey (a total of 350,000 displays) also has a big impact on market volumes with 60,000 units shipped in Qrt 2.

If you exclude these two countries from the analysis, market volumes were down 17 percent Year on Year as many markets increasingly focus on investments in one-to-one learning solutions, such as PCs, software and digital content, highlighting the challenge for many of the leading providers to significantly penetrate these growth countries. This issue has been emphasized this quarter by the purchase of Promethean for £84 million by Net Dragon.

Interactive Flat Panels becoming the standard display

“As the surge of IFPDs from IWBs continues, half of the 67 countries which we track, IFPDs now make up 20 percent of sales, 17 countries had well over 50 percent and in the UK, one of the most advanced countries, this grows to 80 percent,” says to Colin Messenger, Senior Market Analyst at Futuresource.

Corporate Market Opportunity forecast to double from 2014 to 2016

Interest in interactivity within corporate meeting rooms is building and the introduction of Microsoft Surface Hub in January 2016 is expected to create a significant boost by driving awareness of the benefits of meeting room interactivity, and at the same time providing a simple to use intuitive platform for collaboration. Futuresource has increased corporate forecasts from 2016 in the USA, UK and major western European countries. Futuresource estimates that current penetration is negligible at 1.6 percent (with market volumes in 2014 reaching just over 100,000 units), compared to the 20 percent penetration in classrooms.

Regional activity, key highlights

Asia continued to post strong volume sales in 2015 Q2, while China continued its ascent, with almost half of all world sales.

In the US, sales once again decreased. However, going forward the market value is forecast to increase strongly with a 31 percent ‘CAGR’ (2014 to 2019) driven by the increased IFPD sales into corporate business.

Q2 sales in EMEA increased 75 percent Year on Year, with major input from the second phase of the FATIH project in Turkey. 2015 is forecast to continue strongly with 44 percent volume increase before volumes drop in 2016 with the end of FATIH.

This 100+ page report examines the current state of the Interactive Display market across 67 countries, exploring market segmentation, drivers and barriers as well as detailed five year forecasts. You can read more here.