1 million interactive whiteboards to be sold in 2010

Paul Milligan, 03 March 2010

The Interactive Whiteboard market continues to grow globally, with nearly 750,000 boards sold worldwide in 2009 and the market on track to top one million sales in 2010, according to a strategic report from Futuresource Consulting.

'All regions experienced major growth last year, spread across multiple countries rather than localised hotspots,' says Colin Messenger, senior consultant, Futuresource.

'Back in 2005 only three countries sold more than 10,000 IWBs; last year we saw 12 countries hit this level. Driven by continued technological developments, our projections show that one in six classrooms will have an Interactive Whiteboard by 2012. There is a justifiably strong mood of optimism amongst manufacturers.'

In the 66 countries covered within the Futuresource report, Messenger calculates there are over 31 million classrooms, a huge market potential for companies operating within this sector.

'Our research has shown there have been no real signs of recession in education technology,' says Messenger. 'Few markets hold the promise of education, where we'll see very strong sales growth for at least the next five years. It's remarkable to see how IWB technology allows teachers to connect with students in much greater depth, bringing the outside world into the classroom and transforming lessons into exciting world experiences. That's the tangible component which continues to drive this market forward.'