In Taiwan's MP3 player market, entry-level models retailing for below NT$3,000 (US$91) currently account for about 50% of the total sales volume, according to retail channels in Taiwan.
Entry-level MP3 players mainly consist of 1GB models from international vendors such as Sony and Samsung as well as 2GB models offered by Taiwan-based brands such as T.sonic and Ergotech, the sources indicated.
Samsung launched its U3-series MP3 players in Taiwan in July 2007, with the 1GB model selling for NT$2,200-2,300, lower than the NT$2,990 for Sony's 1GB MP3 player, the sources pointed out. According to Samsung Electronics Taiwan, the U3 series currently accounts for 40% of all Samsung MP3 players sold in Taiwan. Among Taiwan-based brands, the 2GB T.sonic MP3 player model, priced at NT$2,900, is selling well, the sources noted.
There will be 800,000-900,000 MP3 players sold in Taiwan in 2007, falling by 10-20% from 2006 mainly due to the increasing addition of MP3 player functionality to handsets, the sources pointed out.
In related news, Ergotech recently launched a 2GB touch-panel MP3 player, the ET-UC40, for sale at NT$4,300, according to Ergotech. Many makers of MP3 players in Taiwan are conservative about touch-panel models mainly because the TFT-LCD panels used to make touch screens cost significantly more than ordinary TFT-LCD panels, according to industry sources.
Article translated by Adam Hwang and edited by Eric Mah
