WASHINGTON, DC — Total factory-to-dealer sales of consumer electronics will surpass $160 billion in 2007, according to Consumer Electronics Association. The association’s semiannual U.S. Consumer Electronics Sales and Forecasts projects 8% industry growth for the year.

More than 60 companies contributed to this latest report, and coverage of existing product categories was expanded to include HDTVs, personal computers and cellular phones. Among new product categories are set-top boxes, next-generation DVD players, VoIP adapters, digital photo frames, smartphones and MP3 player speaker docks.

Accessories have emerged as a powerful booster to overall CE sales, says CEA. The association predicts accessory sales will reach almost $9 billion, with more than 317 million units shipped this year.

The largest contributor in terms of dollar sales continues to be display technologies, adds CEA. Forecasted to reach shipment totals of $26 billion, the display category, including flat screen digital TVs, continues to grow with more than 30 million digital televisions projected to ship by year's end.

The portable communications market will also grow substantially. CEA projects more than $20 billion will be spent on portable devices, an increase of 12% year-over-year. This is in part a result of consumer demand for devices that enable entertainment content and business applications on the go, says CEA.

The association claims smartphones, including the Apple iPhone, typify consumer demand for converged wireless capabilities, including e-mail, Internet browsing, instant messaging, and audio and video entertainment.

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