A report by analysts Berg Insight has predicted that the mobile content and entertainment market in Western Europe will reach € 32 billion by 2012 with the percentage of mobile subscribers using the services on a regular basis rising from 15% to 50%.
Unsurprisingly, the report expects games, sport, music and multi-media downloads to lead the way, with adult content providing “an important revenue stream”. Interestingly, the report predicts that mobile games will overtake the logos and ring-tones as the most popular mobile content and entertainment service category as early as this year.
Mobile TV gets a look in, but not much of one..."although many mobile network operators around Europe such as Orange, TeliaSonera and Vodafone have, or will be launching mobile TV services, these will not be the main services contributing to the surge in mobile content and entertainment revenue within this time-frame. Subscribers will be reluctant to sign up for monthly payments to access TV services until transmission reaches broadcast quality - which is not expected before 2012 in most markets”.
TV brands will increasingly use the mobile platform to sell selected clips, game tie-ins and other branded content services, but “Most TV rights owners stand to receive just insignificant amounts per download through their revenue share deals with the mobile network operators so only those properties with mass market appeal stand to earn any real money,” says the report’s author, Julie Robson. “But with some major media brands entering the market we might start seeing some more aggressive deals”.
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