Features - Enterprise Data Insights:

DISK DRIVE, COMPONENTS MARKETS INCREASING

The disk drive storage and components industries are again expanding due to additional requirements for storage and new applications. The disk drive data storage industry has been in a slump for the past four years, but as of the end of 2003 is showing marked improvement. In addition to disk drive shipments increasing from approximately 212 million units in 2002 to an estimated 255 million units in 2003 (+20 percent), the magnetic head and media numbers have increased. For 2003, magnetic head shipments are estimated at 710 million, and media is estimated at 389 million.

The latest 2003/2004 industry report by Peripheral Research Corporation indicates that the disk drive and component growth will continue for the foreseeable future. The reduction of components per drive is nearing an end, and after four years of economic downturn the demands are increasing for existing applications, and new applications are increasing. In 2003, approximately 9.0 percent of all disk drives shipped (approximately 22 million) were shipped into the consumer electronics industries. These industries include Personnel Video Recorders, CamCorders, Digital Cameras, and other consumer products, and include 3.5-, 2.5-, 1.8- and 1.0-inch disk drives. Two companies are now developing 0.75-to-0.85-inch disk drives for digital cell phones and hand-held appliances, which could be another dynamic market.

The magnetic head technology will continue to advance with TMR, CPP and HAMR (Seagate) technology through 2008, and the 1990s' research into perpendicular recording is looking more likely.