Ben Arnold
- Executive Director, Industry Analyst - Consumer Technology, Circana
United States, Watford High Street Railway Station
Starting Point Guard; Industry Advisor for Consumer Technology & Office Products @WeAreCircana focused on XR/AR, Consumer Devices, other cool stuff
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Articles by Ben Arnold
Wired Headphones Growth Is a Throwback to 2016
Feb 25, 2026 Nearly 10 years ago, I heralded the rise of Bluetooth headphones as the dominant connection type in stereo headphones, overtaking wired devices in market share. At the time, Bluetooth had grown in popularity to become the majority of sales in the stereo headphones market, accounting for 54% of total dollars in July 2016. The rest, as they say, is history.
Spending on Fitness Trackers Grows 88% in 2025
New wearable technology form factors and expanding capabilities appeal to consumers’ desire to track their health and wellness CHICAGO – September 18, 2025– Year-to-date U.S. retail sales revenue of fitness tracking devices has grown 88% compared to a year ago. More than 1.3 million fitness tracker devices were purchased during the first seven months of 2025, a 35% increase over last year, according to recent retail tracking data from Circana, LLC.
Technology Holiday Retail Sales Pulse
By Paul Gagnon, Mike Crosby and Ben Arnold We have reached the peak of the holiday shopping season, and before results for Black Friday and Cyber Week are available, we thought it would be important to check in and see how the season is progressing. So far, seven weeks into the holiday quarter, consumer technology sales are running close to 2023 at this same time, although there was a significant dip in weeks 44 and 45. However, this wasn’t unexpected.
Thank you to Wally Grant of CAUD
Thank you to Wally Grant of CAUD By Ben Arnold Thank you Wally Grant and the Columbia/Adair Co Water District for such timely response to restore my water. It is easy to take our utilities for granted until we lose them. During this hard freeze, I lost water with guests arriving. My call to CAUD produced a response above any reasonable expectation. Wally arrived at my door after dark in that very cold and proceeded to fix my problem. Thank you, Wally.
Tech Trends: Point-and-Shoot Camera Sales Shift
Chicago, IL—This edition of Tech Trends looks at the compact, point-and-shoot-camera market. While total camera sales are down, cameras with a longer optical zoom are gaining share in the point-and-shoot camera market. During the 12 months ending February 2023, compact point-and-shoot cameras capable of 50x or greater optical zoom accounted for 13 percent of total unit sales. This is down slightly from the previous year. However, it is above the 9 percent market share observed three years prior.
Tech Trends: Macro Lens Sale
Port Washington, NY—Though unit sales of macro lenses grew 31 percent during the 12 months ending January 2022, macro lens volume subsequently fell this most recent year by 28 percent. Furthermore, that occurred while average selling prices declined 7 percent, according to the NPD Group. U.S. Macro Lens Sales Slip as Focus Turns to Other Lens Moreover, the total lens category saw unit sales fall by less, down 18 percent, in the 12 months ending January 2023.
Letter: This was all they could find to pose as patriots?
To the editor — The final hearing of the January 6 committee has gaveled out. What did we learn? Despite naming themselves Proud Boys, Oath Keepers and patriots, they looked like they overindulged in beer and pizza during their months of planning for “the coming revolution.” These self-proclaimed warriors showed up in force on the appointed day and chanted about hanging treasonous officials and firing the first shots of the new revolution.
Tech Trends: 2021 Was a Strong Year for Mirrorless Cameras and Camcorders
Port Washington, NY—According to the NPD Group/Retail Tracking Service, 2021 was a strong year for select digital imaging categories; as the industry rebounded from an up and down 2020. Furthermore, these categories included mirrorless cameras and camcorders. 2021 Sales of Mirrorless Cameras and Camcorders Source: The NPD Group/Retail Tracking Service Camcorder sales rose 10 percent during the year, as consumers returned to travel and outdoor activities during the spring and summer months.
What Is the Right Quantity of Prototype Parts?
Speed to market is critical. In our hyper-competitive industrial and consumer industries, new product development is moving faster than ever before with no signs of slowing down. OEMs, suppliers, and contract manufacturers are struggling to meet the demands of their customers, and are actively searching for new solutions that improve processes and meet deadlines.
What Is the Right Quantity of Prototype Parts?
Speed to market is critical. In our hyper-competitive industrial and consumer industries, new product development is moving faster than ever before with no signs of slowing down. OEMs, suppliers, and contract manufacturers are struggling to meet the demands of their customers, and are actively searching for new solutions that improve processes and meet deadlines.
Tech Trends: Camcorder Sales on the Rise
SHARE Port Washington, NY—According to the NPD Group, year-to-date (January to May 2021), camcorder revenue in the United States is up +44 percent. This is because the video needs related to travel and productivity increased demand for digital imaging products. Consequently, camcorder sales are on the rise.
Tech Trends: Mirrorless Camera Category Increases in Popularity
SHARE Port Washington, NY—Despite a difficult first half of 2020, mirrorless detachable-lens cameras continued to take market share. In the 12 months ending July 2020, mirrorless unit sales accounted for 37% of total detachable-lens camera sales. As a result, this camera category was up from just 25% in 2018.
Tech Trends: Mirrorless Camera Category Increases in Popularity
Port Washington, NY—Despite a difficult first half of 2020, mirrorless detachable-lens cameras continue to take market share, according to the NPD Group Retail Tracking Service. In the 12 months ending July 2020, mirrorless unit sales accounted for 37 percent of total detachable lens camera sales; that figure was up from just 25% in 2018.
Fortify Mixes It Up
Manufacturing Engineering: For those unfamiliar with your 3D printing technology, please provide a brief overview. The CKM and Fluxprint-capable FLUX ONE 3D printer. Ben Arnold: What makes Fortify unique is our ability to introduce functional additives into photopolymers to open new levels, and new vectors, of material performance.
Tech Trends: Drone Video Resolution on the Rise, Prices Falling
Drone video resolution is on the rise. Although drone sales declined throughout 2019, 4K-enabled devices accounted for 84% of revenue over the last 12 months. Sales of camera-equipped drones declined 36% in the last 12 months; however, manufacturers continue to make feature enhancements to these camera devices. Once a curiosity for hobbyists and neighborhood ‘Drone Dads,’ drones hold a firm position in the lineup of devices serious photographers employ for their work.
Tech Trends: 4K Video Capability Grows across Imaging Categories
Las Vegas, NV—As consumers become more accustomed to viewing 4K content on the screen, the desire to shoot personal 4K video content is growing as well. Across the three major digital imaging categories—digital point-and-shoot and detachable-lens cameras, as well as camcorders—devices capable of capturing 4K content accounted for more than half (53 percent) of all revenues in the 12 months ending November 2019. This is an increase from just a third of revenue two years prior.
This is the Tech We Never Thought We’d Want 20 Years Ago
In a new shift from the last several years of research, the most commonly owned technology in households this year were screen devices: TVs, smartphones and notebook PCs. TV ownership is virtually ubiquitous, as one would expect, with 96 percent of households reporting ownership, while smartphones (87 percent) are quickly approaching a similar level of adoption.
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