Small projectors are good for a variety of applications, whether in-house or on the road. Maybe that’s why pico projectors are hotter than ever. According to Pacific Media Associates (PMA), this mobile media method is about to explode.

A new PMA survey says that the pico projector market will expand to the point that we will see 58 million units by 2015. This is a huge boost, considering the number for 2011 was about 3 million.

The research firm recently invited manufacturers from around the world to talk about features, functions and prices for pico projectors, to determine which will succeed. It seems as though battery-powered or battery-powerable models are on the rise, even those that are embedded in mobile devices or larger hosts.

“Pico projector manufacturers have already made great strides in increasing the brightness of their models. But the manufacturers surveyed expect strong continued progress through 2015, thanks to both improved luminous efficiency and use of larger batteries,” said Dr. William Coggshall, PMA’s president. “In 2011 only 36 percent of companion (accessory) pico projectors sold offered a respectable 30 lumens or more of brightness. But by 2015, 62 percent of pico projectors sold will offer 30+ lumens, and—for such diminutive gadgets—a whopping 16 percent are expected to deliver 150+ lumens. By contrast, the brightness of optical engines embedded in other mobile devices is heavily constrained by the restrictions in size and power consumption of the host devices. Even then the manufacturers estimated that the proportion of engines producing 30+ lumens would grow from 6 percent in 2011 to 18 percent in 2105.

“Buyers of companion pico projectors in 2011 were already getting a lot for their money, but during the 2012-2015 time frame they will be getting a lot more,” continued Coggshall. “In 2011, only 29 percent sold for $199 or less, but this figure is expected to rise to 60 percent in 2015. And not only are the models being sold significantly brighter, but they also will have higher resolution and lots more features, e.g., personal media players and document viewers.”

PMA also expects pico projectors to offer more connectivity options, whether through wired or wireless technology. PMA numbers are showing 22 percent connecting to cell phones, with another 21 percent designed for tablet use by 2015. This is up from zero just two years ago.