Mobile TV’s popularity last year was not as great as expected, according to a new report from IMS Research.
Based on a recent study by the company, broadcast mobile TV handsets shipped worldwide numbered 4.7 million in 2006, with the majority shipping in the Asia Pacific region.
Subscribers in Europe were only about 30% of what the industry expected at the onset of last year.
The most significant delays were in the US and European markets. For commercial services already launched in Europe, the two most notable reasons for consumers’ lacklustre adoption of broadcast mobile TV include: only a few mobile TV-enabled handset models and limited content offerings due to spectrum limitations.
Only one mobile TV offering in Europe gained considerable traction in 2006, 3 Italia’s Walk TV, likely due to a strong content offering as well as flexible subscription options.
IMS Research’s Anna Hunt, research director and author of the study, said: “The industry has gotten very anxious about mobile TV, yet as with IPTV and DTT, services may have to fail before effective business models are established.”
She added: “The challenge now lies in addressing the obstacles that continue to face the industry. Some, such as limited spectrum availability, will be resolved over time. Others, such as improving the user experience, will continue to challenge technology companies and service providers.”
In 2007, additional broadcast mobile TV services will be launching throughout the world. By mid year, over 50 countries worldwide had begun or completed broadcast mobile TV trials, with 100+ technology companies targeting this market with solutions and products.
A recent report from Datamonitor has predicted that the number of mobile broadcast TV subscribers worldwide will grow from 4.4 million currently to an estimated 155.6 million by the end of 2012.
However, the report notes that whilst mobile broadcast TV is continually highlighted as the next big thing, there are also considerable hurdles that need to be overcome (see Global Mobile TV Subscriber Numbers To Grow).
Screen Digest has forecast that by 2011 mobile TV revenue will reach €4.7 billion from 140 million subscribers.
The new broadcast services, says Screen Digest, which launched in only a handful of markets, are growing rapidly. For instance, Unicast services, delivered over existing 3G networks, have begun to generate real revenues in Europe (see Mobile TV Revenue To Grow).
Related Links
