According to the recent forecast, Coda Research Consultancy reports that mobile phone users accessing video content from their handsets will rise to 5.1m in 2015 and revenues will shoot up to US$685m.
The company’s report in the Italian TV market says that the number of users accessing TV content through DVB-H alone will be doubled. Presently, there are around 1.2m users, which will later reach to 2.5m in 2015.
Steve Smith, the report’s author explains, “In part this is due to how Europeans fit their mobile phones into their everyday lives. People tend to use their phones for video, games, texting, social networking and so on when they are between spaces and events, such as when commuting or meeting friends. In Japan and South Korea, where mobile TV penetration is significantly higher, people spend a lot more time commuting on public transport and so have more time available. The streaming or broadcast of live TV simply doesn’t fit the European consumer. This is one example of how operators and broadcasters aren’t providing the kinds of video content and services mobile users actually want.”
The 2010 World Cup will specifically impel the number of users accessing mobile TV services, as it was reported in 2006. Coda also envisions that the usage will increase to 1.6m by the end of 2010.
Reportedly, the results when compared to the rest of Europe, failed to meet the estimations. The research with iPhone users reports that downloading content enhanced viewing experiences. Coda estimated that if content and rights owners enable users to download more content, a considerable growth in downloading videos on phones via 3G and on desktops and PCs would be witnessed.