Intent: research. Headlines proclaiming the interactive display market will reach $75 billion by 2030 circulate regularly through industry publications and vendor marketing materials.
These numbers are useful for stakeholder presentations and budget justifications—but they require critical interpretation. Here’s how to read market projections accurately and what they actually tell us about the industry.
What These Numbers Measure
Market research firms like Grand View Research, Mordor Intelligence, and MarketsandMarkets produce these projections. Understanding what they measure helps assess their relevance to your situation.
“Market Size” Definition
Reported figures typically represent total addressable market (TAM)—the revenue generated across the entire industry if every potential customer purchased. This includes:
- Hardware: Displays, touch sensors, mounting systems
- Software: CMS platforms, content creation tools, analytics
- Services: Installation, maintenance, content development
- All segments: Education, retail, corporate, healthcare, transportation, hospitality
The number relevant to your specific use case (e.g., touchscreen recognition displays for schools) is a small fraction of the headline figure.
Projection Methodology
Most projections use compound annual growth rate (CAGR) calculations based on:
- Current market size estimates
- Historical growth rates
- Analyst assumptions about market drivers
The challenge: small changes in assumed CAGR produce dramatically different outcomes over multi-year projections. A 10% CAGR versus 15% CAGR changes a 2030 projection by billions of dollars.
Segment Disaggregation
Reports typically break markets into segments:
- By technology: LCD, LED, OLED, projection
- By application: Education, retail, healthcare, corporate
- By size: Small (<32"), medium (32-65"), large (>65")
- By geography: North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, rest of world
The segments growing fastest may not align with your use case. Education might boom while hospitality stagnates—or vice versa.
What the Projections Indicate
Despite their limitations, market projections do convey meaningful signals:
Investor Confidence
When multiple research firms project growth, it signals that venture capital and private equity see opportunities. This typically means:
- More vendors will enter the market
- Existing vendors will invest in R&D
- Prices may decrease as competition intensifies
For buyers, this suggests the market will offer more options and potentially better value over time.
Infrastructure Adoption
Projected growth in interactive displays reflects broader infrastructure investments:
- Schools modernizing classrooms
- Retailers upgrading store experiences
- Corporations redesigning collaborative spaces
- Healthcare facilities improving patient engagement
If these institutional buyers are investing, it suggests the technology is reaching mainstream adoption—past early-adopter risk.
Technology Maturation
Growing markets attract engineering talent and R&D investment. This typically produces:
- More reliable hardware
- More capable software
- Better integration standards
- More sophisticated content tools
For current buyers, this means today’s investments may benefit from future ecosystem improvements.
Critical Questions to Ask
When encountering market projections, interrogate them:
Who Funded the Research?
Market research is expensive. Sponsors often include:
- Industry associations (motivated to show growth)
- Major vendors (motivated to attract investors)
- Investment firms (motivated to validate investment theses)
Sponsored research isn’t invalid, but sponsorship context matters.
What Time Period Is Covered?
A market “growing 12% annually” sounds impressive until you realize the projection spans 2020-2030 and includes COVID-era distortions. Pandemic years saw both extreme contraction (2020) and unusual expansion (2021-2022) in digital signage markets.
What’s Included in the Definition?
“Interactive display” might include:
- Commercial-grade kiosk hardware
- Consumer TVs with touch overlays
- Digital whiteboards
- Video walls without touch
- Projection systems
The broader the definition, the larger (and less useful) the number.
What Are the Underlying Assumptions?
Growth projections assume certain conditions:
- Continued economic growth
- Stable supply chains
- Technology adoption rates
- Pricing trends
Disruptions to any assumption affect outcomes. Pandemic lockdowns, chip shortages, and recession concerns have all disrupted recent projections.
What Matters for Your Decision
Rather than fixating on market size, focus on factors affecting your specific situation:
Vendor Stability
Is your prospective vendor financially stable? Growing markets contain both well-funded companies and undercapitalized startups. A vendor’s failure mid-project creates significant problems regardless of overall market health.
Technology Roadmap
Is the technology you’re considering actively developed? Check for:
- Recent software updates
- New feature announcements
- Active user communities
- Responsive support
A product in maintenance mode may work fine today but lack future improvements.
Competitive Dynamics
Are there multiple viable options for your use case? Healthy competition means:
- Better pricing
- More innovation
- Lower lock-in risk
A market dominated by one vendor may be growing overall but offer poor dynamics for buyers.
Integration Ecosystem
Can your chosen solution integrate with other systems you use? Check for:
- Standard data formats
- API availability
- Existing integrations with your tools
- Professional services for custom integration
Practical Takeaways
Market projections are useful context, not decision criteria. Here’s how to use them appropriately:
For budget justification: Headlines help demonstrate that interactive display investment aligns with broader market momentum
For vendor evaluation: Growing markets attract more vendors, so use projected growth as a prompt to explore alternatives
For timing decisions: If projections show strong growth, consider whether waiting brings better options (but don’t wait indefinitely)
For risk assessment: Be skeptical of projections in adjacent categories—your specific need may not match the growth areas
Conclusion
The interactive display market is genuinely growing. Institutional investments in education, corporate collaboration, and retail experience are real trends.
But headline projections—$75 billion by 2030, or any similar figure—are aggregated estimates across vast product categories and global geographies. They don’t predict the success of your specific project with your specific vendor for your specific use case.
Make decisions based on:
- Your actual requirements
- Vendor financial stability and product roadmap
- Total cost of ownership
- Integration with your existing systems
- References from similar organizations
Market momentum is a favorable tailwind, but it doesn’t guarantee smooth sailing.
For guidance on evaluating touchscreen display solutions based on your specific requirements, see our comprehensive guide.
Best Touchscreen provides independent analysis. We have no affiliation with market research firms or any specific vendors.