Flash-Based Digital Media Player Market to Grow in 2005

Global sales of flash memory-based portable digital music players are expected to rise significantly this year, according to research from IDC.

IDC estimates Apple, Samsung and Creative will sell 35 million portable flash players in 2005, compared with 25 million in 2004.

Apple is the leader in hard disk drive-based players, the company said, with a roughly 60% to 70% market share. Samsung and Creative together hold 13% of the global market for flash-based players.

iPod sales growth continues to outpace Appleis powerful competitors. Apple shipped 4.58 million iPods during its first fiscal quarter of 2005, which ended in December 2004. This represents a striking 525 percent increase in iPod sales over the same quarter last year.