Despite the downturn in the economy, it seems that life’s little necessities (e.g., navigation, hands-free calling and MP3 player integration in your car), won’t be cut out of Americans’ budget this year. With automakers trying to catch up to Ford’s Sync, we can expect to see a greater focus on the kind of electronics aftermarket enthusiasts have been enjoying for years.
According to research firm iSuppli Corp., the combined revenue from OEM and aftermarket “infotainment” systems may rise 7.9 percent this year, up to $39.8 billion compared to 2007’s total of $36.98 billion. Last year, demand rose 13.5 percent compared to 2006. Despite the upswing, iSuppli predicts that head unit revenue will only grow 5.6 percent this year, although it swung up 6.9 percent last year.