WASHINGTON, July 25 -- 2004 was one of the strongest years for the optoelectronics market in the past decade, according to the Optoelectronics Industry Development Association (OIDA). Its seventh annual market review report reveals that almost all optoelectronic categories, applications and technologies demonstrated growth over 2003. OIDA said further research and a review of industry trends reveal that 2005 will yield a similar market performance. Total optoelectronic components and optoelectronic-enabled products grew 39 percent in 2004 to $236 billion, from $170 billion in 2003, OIDA said. There was strong growth in each of the three application segments for optoelectronics in 2004: components, computing and consumer/entertainment. In 2004, the optical communications business grew by 10 percent, computing grew 31 percent and consumer/entertainment grew 72 percent. The segment of optoelectronics components, including displays, grew 33 percent in 2004. OIDA said the growth is the result of the successful penetration of display-based products and technologies into the consumer and computer markets, particularly LCD TVs and camera phones. In the components segment, much of the growth was driven by high-brightness LEDs (HBLEDs), image sensors, modules and flat panel displays, it said. According to the report, revenues achieved in 2004 in the flat panel display market are a good indicator that it is a vibrant application. The use of small displays in mobile handheld devices has grown quickly and has opened up opportunities, OIDA said. A number of applications that are particularly dependent on optoelectronics have strong potential for market growth in 2005, according to OIDA. These include the Internet and computing, cellular telephony, wireline telecommunication and emerging applications such as games, health care and sensors. For more information, visit: www.oida.org