The US mobile industry downturn will continue for at least the first half of the year but signs of recovery are emerging, says Mobile Ecosystem, a firm which carries out research and consulting in the wireless field.
Wireless Week cites the company’s Mobile Confidence Index which stood at 112 at the beginning of the month. This represents a 6% fall on December’s figure but is little cause for concern given that the market traditionally picks up at the end of the year.
The index tracks thirteen leading wireless indicators including stock prices, subscriber and revenue growth, employment and adspend. Mark Lowenstein, the Managing Director of Mobile Ecosystem has identified a number of positive signs, including the strength of wireless carrier print advertising and the high number of wireless patent grants.
Nonetheless, the index is predicted to remain flat to down through the second half of the year as spending levels off following the Christmas rush. Mobile data services are yet to take off but Lowenstein maintains that handset sales and replacements are ‘trending upward’.
