Report Predicts Robust Growth for Mobile TV
The research firm, eMarketer has forecast in a new report that there will be more than 100 million worldwide users of paid or sponsored mobile broadcast video services by the end of 2009. eMarketer's bullish outlook comes after an in-depth review of various global trials, market surveys and carrier and content provider announcements. Mobile television burst onto the radar screens of carriers, content providers and a few marketers in 2005. A year later, it's clear that something major is going to happen with mobile TV, and sooner rather than later.
According to eMarketer, the two pivot points for mobile TV from a technical point-of-view are growth in smartphones and growth of advanced 3G networks.
"What will be crucial to marketers is trying to determine whether mobile TV represents a sub-market or the next huge mass market for mobile services," says John du Pre Gauntt, eMarketer Senior Analyst and author of the report. "Right now, they're poring over demographics, income and spending patterns of early and near-term adopters."
"Hand-in-hand with technical obstacles, mobile TV players must work the commercial side of the equation," says Mr. du Pre Gauntt. "Marketers shouldn't believe for a minute that either the mobile carriers or the content providers have cracked the business model, let alone the digital rights issues that will be crucial to migrate mobile TV from one market stage to the next."
Posted to the site on 27th March 2006
