Global sales of camera phones are set to rise to more than 50 million by the end of 2003, according to a new study from analyst firm ARC Group.
The report,
Future Mobile Handsets 2003-2008 claims that existing mobile phone users will drive growth as they trade in their current handsets for new feature-rich models. Camera phones are already a big hit in the Far East Asian (see
More Attention Focused On Camera Phones) and ARC estimates that worldwide sales will more than double from 25 million in 2002 to 55 million this year.
“This year we have seen a massive growth in camera-enabled phones, with 15 per cent of handsets worldwide featuring built-in cameras or designated camera accessories,” said the report’s author David McQueen. “Tempted by innovative design features such as rotational cameras and swivel screens, along with the advent of multimedia messaging, colour displays and polyphonic ring tones, we’ll see many consumers upgrading their mobile phones this Christmas.”
It is estimated that by 2005, 130 million handsets with built-in cameras will be sold globally and with the added impetus of 3G roll-out this figure is set to increase to 210 million by 2008. The Asia-Pacific region will continue to lead the way in terms of mobile technology uptake but European consumers are beginning to show an appetite for camera phones and these devices are expected account for almost two-thirds of handset sales in 2006 (see Camera Phones To Galvanise European Mobile Market).
ARC predicts that the total mobile handset market will grow by 10.3% this year with consumers buying 444 million phones. This trend is set to continue for the foreseeable future with sales reaching 689 million in 2008, in line with subscriber growth.
“Despite continued delays to 2.5G and 3G network roll out in the early part of 2002, there was distinct expansion by the end of the year, and the market in 2003 has since staged a comeback,” said McQueen.
However, the analyst is cautious with regard to video phones. It is expected that in the next six months, one in four camera phones sold in Japan will be able to record video but the European video phone market will not get up to speed until 2006.
