IDC's Storage Mechanisms: Disk service analyzes and forecasts the worldwide demand for hard disk drives (HDDs). It segments annual HDD forecasts by system platform, including mobile PCs, desktop PCs, enterprise storage systems, and consumer electronics/industrial applications. In addition, the service provides quarterly consumption analysis by form factor, interface, and HDD vendor. With its detailed tracking database, IDC's Storage Mechanisms: Disk service also helps storage component manufacturers understand noteworthy trends affecting product requirements and demand. IDC focuses on delivering a combination of timely tactical market information and long-term strategic analysis to give customers a balanced view of the market.

This service covers the following segment of the storage mechanism disk market:

• "Winchester" hard disk drives (i.e., HDDs)

Throughout the year, this service will address the following topics:

• HDD consumption and forecast (annually and quarterly)
• HDD factory revenue (annually and quarterly)
• HDD vendor performance analysis (quarterly)
• HDD features (e.g., hybrid, encryption) adoption trends

Our research addresses the following issues that are critical to your success:

1. How will market share shifts affect supplier strategies?
2. What factors and markets drive the demand for HDDs?
3. To what extent will new storage technologies find a fit in today's HDD market?
4. How will emerging trends affect HDD product requirements?
5. What is the future revenue opportunity associated with HDD technology?

IDC's Storage Mechanisms: Disk service examines how HDD vendors are positioning themselves to compete in the disk drive market. This service analyzes the product strategies, competitive positioning, financial viability, and overall strategic direction of major disk drive vendors in the storage market as well as their relationships with various disk drive component suppliers. Vendors associated with the disk drive industry include the following:

Fuji Electric, Fujitsu, Hitachi GST, Hoya, Hutchinson Technology, Kaifa, LSI, Magnecomp Precision Technology, Marvell, Mitsubishi Chemical, NHK Spring, Nidec, Samsung, Seagate, Showa Denko, Sumitomo, TDK, Texas Instruments, Toshiba, and Western Digital.

This service focuses on the following core research. In addition to the insight provided in this service, IDC may conduct additional research on specific topics, or emerging market segments, via research offerings that require additional IDC funding and client investment.

This study examines the five-year market opportunity for hard disk drives in the following applications: notebooks, desktops, traditional workstations, entry servers, multiuser systems, and various consumer electronic and nontraditional applications.

These studies analyze each HDD vendor's product announcements and evaluate the products' strategic position and competition within the market.

This study summarizes the year-end competitive dynamics within the hard disk drive industry.

These studies characterize current and long-term trends associated with various disk drive metrics, such as interface, RPM, and areal density.

IDC offers a complete market intelligence solution customized to meet your business requirements. The array of products and services available to you includes:

• The opportunity to have your specific questions answered through personal interaction with industry experts who cover the topics and markets in your service
• Around-the-clock access to our market intelligence on idc.com, IDC's personalized Web experience
• A view of the market's future with 12 months of continuous intelligence about its direction and the reasons behind it, along with actionable advice for taking advantage of existing and emerging opportunities
• Special client discount pricing on purchases of research from other services
• Complimentary admission to IDC's annual Directions conference, where you'll hear our latest forecasts and network with IDC analysts and other industry professionals
• Complimentary invitations to monthly executive telebriefings, interactive forums designed to provide you with insights about research and strategies directly from IDC analysts

To find out how our flexible packaging options can meet your specific business needs, please contact your IDC sales executive.

As a privately held company, IDC believes that our customers are our primary constituency. A large percentage of every revenue dollar is reinvested back into our products, including more analysts, more geographic coverage, and extensive primary research.

Our steady growth over the past 10-plus years reflects our commitment to investing in our customers.