While the mobile phone market keeps increasing, the rate of growth predicted is to slow from the double digit rises the market has experienced over the past few years, with shipments expected to rise by just 6% year on year, according to high-tech market research firm In-Stat.
The
Humming Along: 2005 Mobile Phone Market Forecast shows that world-wide handset revenue is predicted to reach $112 billion in 2005, with India, China and Eastern Europe leading growth in emerging markets.
In-Stat also reveals that the top five manufacture’s will retain the largest share of the market in 2005, accounting for approximately 80% world-wide.
Commenting on the findings, Allyn Hall, director of Wireless Research said: “The slowing pace is a result of some mature markets at, or near, full penetration, and weaker than expected growth in some emerging ones. It’s a sign of a maturing industry.”
Mobile phone penetration in the UK, exceeded 100% in the UK early this year, with data from the Mobile Data Association (MDA) showing that the number of mobile handsets currently in circulation is greater than the UK’s population (see UK Mobile Phone Penetration Higher Than Population).
In-Stat estimates the total number of new subscribers between 2004 and 2009 to reach 777.7 million world-wide, with China continuing to lead the world in terms of overall subscriber growth.
Nearly two-thirds of all new wireless users are predicted to be in Asia, while subscriber growth in Europe is forecast to continue to slow, stalling in Scandinavia and Western Europe.
China’s wireless penetration rate is predicted to increase over the next four years, rising from the current rate of 25% to over 40% by 2009, according to eMarketer’s latest China Wireless report (see Strong Wireless Penetration Predicted For China).
In a relatively short time, China has become a leading wireless market, with significant opportunities for further growth.
This confirms In-Stat/MDR’s Worldwide Mobile Subscriber Forecasts 2004 – 2009, which predicts that China will continue to lead the world in overall subscriber growth (see Growth Returns To Mobile Phone Market).
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