WHILE the iconic iPod failed to make much of a splash when it landed on the Yangon market earlier this year, computer and electronic-goods shops report surging demand for other MP3 players.

“MP3 players have been available here for three years now and their popularity has continued to grow,” said Ko Maung Maung Aung, a salesman from Wai Yan electronics, citing annual sales increases of about 30 percent.

Highly portable with designs becoming ever lighter and more robust, and able to store hundreds or even thousands of songs, the devices have proven a big hit with music lovers, especially the young.

Lu Lay Computer owner Ko Myo Myint Myat said his shop now sells about 100 MP3 players a month, up 80 percent on last year.

But the demand in MP3 players has come at the expense of the classic cassette Walkman and portable CD player.

“As sales of MP3 players have increased, sales of portable CD players and cassette recorders have decreased about 50 percent,” Ko Maung Maung Aung said.

He noted that whereas the older music players required listeners to carry around a case of CDs or cassette tapes, MP3 players hold all their music internally and, at the size of a matchbox, can fit easily in one’s pocket or be worn as a necklace.

MP4 players, which have small screens that add visual options to the audio, are also growing in popularity.

U Kyaw Lin, the manager of World Class Technology Group shop in downtown Yangon, said sales for MP4 players began to rise after April this year.

“MP4 players have been on the local market since mid-2005 but they’ve really only become popular this year,” he said. “Sales are even beginning to catch up to MP3 players.”

As well as playing songs, MP4 players can be used to display or take photos, show video clips, play games or be used to read e-books, depending on the model.

Voice recording facilities are also proving popular with students and others taking notes.

“It’s very useful using an MP3 player because I can record for hours and don’t need to take two or three cassette tapes,” said a journalist.

Prices for MP3 players in Yangon range from K30,000 to more than K200,000 depending on storage size and brand.

Ko Maung Maung Aung said T-land and Creative brand players were the most popular due to their reasonable price and quality.

“Sales of Sony-brand models made in Japan are also good but the price is high,” he said.