US$32 Billion in Billings in 2009

Singapore, August 19, 2009 -- Southeast Asia's (SEA) mobile users are expected to hit 453.3 million subscribers by the close of this year, growing 18.4 percent over 2008. Billings are estimated to grow by 13.6 percent year-on-year to top US$32 billion by year-end.

New analysis from Frost & Sullivan, 2009 Southeast Asia Wireless Outlook, finds that the mobile subscriber base in the region - covering seven Southeast Asian nations - grew 36 percent year-on-year to reach 383 million users in 2008, for a corresponding mobile penetration of 72.5 percent. By the close of year 2014, Frost & Sullivan estimates SEA's mobile subscribers to reach 606 million, growing at a CAGR (compound annual growth rate) of eight percent (2009-2014).

SEA's mobile services grossed an estimated US$28.3 billion in revenues in 2008, and are forecasted to reach billings of US$36.2 billion by end-2014, at a CAGR of 4.2 percent (2009-2014).    » read more »

Next-Generation Mobile Devices, Advanced Networks, and Free and Supported Applications to Drive Growth

MOUNTAIN VIEW, CA, August 12, 2009 -- Smartphone penetration in the U.S. mobile markets is increasing rapidly. For some time, mobile operators have been offering a branded 'catalog' of mobile content and services that could be purchased from the handset itself. However, all that is changing for smartphones, in which newer types of targeted app stores are being introduced to enable the device owner to purchase content from outside the operator environment. The availability of a large number of inexpensive or free mobile applications that leverage the next-generation technical capabilities of the target device will help drive adoption. However, in the end, service differentiation and generating suitable return on investment from the app store business could be challenging.    » read more »

Inventory Destocking Continues with 13.9 Million Units Shed by the Channel

Egham, UK, August 12, 2009 -- Worldwide mobile phone sales totalled 286.1 million units in the second quarter of 2009, a 6.1 per cent decrease from the second quarter of 2008, according to Gartner, Inc. (NYSE: IT). Smartphone sales surpassed 40 million units, a 27 per cent increase from the same period last year, representing the fastest-growing segment of the mobile-devices market (see Table 2).

"Despite the challenging market, some devices sold well as consumers who would usually have purchased standard midrange devices either cut back to less expensive handsets or moved up the range to get more features for their money," said Carolina Milanesi, research director at Gartner. "Touchscreen and qwerty devices remained a major driver for replacement sales and benefited manufacturers with strong, touch-focused midtier devices. However, the decline in average selling price (ASP) accelerated in the first half of the year and particularly affected manufacturers that focus on midtier and low-end devices, where margins are already slim."    » read more »

Payments and Social Networking Cited as Key Drivers to Propel Market Growth

FRAMINGHAM, MA, August 11, 2009 -- A new report from IDC Financial Insights emphasizes that banks need to prepare themselves today for the imminent wave of mobile adoption to avoid being left behind by competitors. The study, "Market Analysis: Retail Mobile Banking Vendor Survey Results – Mobile Banking Will Have Its Day, Just Not Today" indicates that while current economic conditions may have curtailed both consumers' demand for mobile banking and banks' willingness to invest in it in the short term, things are still moving forward. The study presents the results of a survey of 14 U.S. mobile banking solution providers with the objective to get a better understanding of who the key players are in mobile banking, what products and features they offer, and an overall look at industry trends.    » read more »