The World market for operator terminals was reported to have been worth $2.32 billion in 2013, according to a recently released report by IHS (The World Market for Operator Terminals - 2014 Edition). IHS further projects that the market will generate revenues of approximately $3.16 billion in 2018. Analyst, Alexandra Whiting, states; "a 6.4% revenue CAGR to 2018 is projected to be largely driven by increasing adoption of advanced graphical and portable operator terminals. Whilst revenues from older and more basic products, such as text-based operator terminals, are expected to decline."
"Sales of advanced terminals accounted for approximately 70% of global revenues in 2013. Operator terminals with high resolution (more than 256 colors), Ethernet connectivity, and mobility are typical requirements for today's machine operators. This can be seen as a reflection of consumer smart devices. Whilst there is an associated price elevation with these features, the benefit outweighs the cost for many machine builders and end-users. Continually decreasing average selling prices are also serving to make higher-end technology more attainable, and reduce the objection of price sensitivity. Despite this, the markets for text-based and basic graphical operator terminals are far from going away. They provide a cost-effective alternative in particularly price sensitive markets such as China. Whilst the revenue growth of these technologies might be comparatively slow. They will still continue to serve as replacements to the current installed base for the foreseeable future and will be adopted with simple machinery that only requires a basic human interface."
