The Mobile Market : Growth Shows Early Peak

As markets mature in the mobile phone industry, the double digit growth rates are declining and shipments of new mobile phones are likely to grow at just under 6% in the coming years says the Instat report tracking the mobile handset growth. The worldwide mobile phone market will grow once again this year, setting yet another record. However, the rate of growth will slow, according to this new In-Stat report. Manufacturers will produce nearly 720 million units, according to the report titled "Humming Along: 2005 Mobile Phone Market Forecast". That represents a 5.8% increase from a year ago, but is down from double-digit growth seen in recent years. Sales of these phones will generate nearly $112 billion in revenue, the report points out. New subscribers and steady replacement rates will fuel the growth. But the rate will slow due to high penetration levels in some mature markets, and weaker-than-expected growth in some emerging ones.
Mobilemag adds,India, China and Eastern Europe are being termed as the new emerging markets and mobile phone users are still being added as subscribers in these economies at a scorching rate. So will the US and Europe end up with the r&d leftovers from the Asian and Eastern European markets? Probably not, these markets are still huge, with growth or without. However a significant portion of their research efforts are likely to be diverted to ensure that the emerging market requirements are duly met by these top mobile phone manufacturers. Customization for the emerging markets has been language specific and extensive, user studies are bound to show some more areas of improvements in the near future. Very true - across the various markets - we are seeing handset makers and service providers really struggling hard to get more and more customers/subscribers - we are also seeing india centered initiatives like this, and the so-called budget mobiles - all are attempts to keep the growth engine on and help increase reach and penetration of the mobile into the packet of every affordable global citizen at the low end and enticing anfd improving the usage and new rollouts with value added features and services help to keep action moving at the high end of the market..
Category :Mobiles