The introduction of 3G cell phones at an affordable price will be a key factor for mobile software vendors expecting to increase their sales substantially. The world’s third-generation mobile software market generated $17.9 billion sales in 2007, but once that mobile carriers announced their projects to provide low cost smartphones with data packages separated from voice along with the introduction of the 3G technology, researchers estimate worldwide sales will reach $67.3 billion in 2013.
Many people with tight budgets could not afford buying a fully featured smartphone, but with the introduction of third-generation phones, any subscriber can benefit from 3G services offered from their carrier services regardless the mobile device as long as it supports this new technology.
However the introduction of budget 3G-enabled phones is the result of increased processor speed in newly built devices, along with expanded memory capability and more networks with better infrastructure to support high speed transfers with the aid of mobile software to handle data and communications alike.
Market researchers consider that the mobile software market will increase their segment in the overall mobile market as budget cell phone will also require of some built-in application to handle this new communications era, while sophisticated smartphones will always provide enhanced services with the adequate mobile applications that meet the users’ requirements.
Frost & Sullivan, a pioneer market consulting firm founded in 1961, is offering information of the global 3G mobile software coming next and, according to their analysts “One viable business model for software developers would be to partner with mobile carriers and obtain revenue by troubleshooting and fixing day-to-day business model problems.”
The global market tendency is observing prices dropping when it comes to new smartphones and basic cell-phones, thus “mobile software vendors are poised to receive large revenue increases from carriers and other mobile market value chain members,” said Daniel Longfield, a Frost & Sullivan’s analyst.
As more consumers continue switching from desktop equipment to mobile devices, it is obvious understand that mobile software is playing an important role in this transition as any handset will be soon able to provide similar functionality with the right software application.
Actually the price for a fully-featured smartphone averages between $400 and $500, but with the introduction of the 3G technology, a view to the carriers’ service plans and the alliance of software developers increasing the number of applications for mobile devices, a budget smartphone will cost less than $200.
In fact several budgeted smartphones have been released since a few years back, such as the Audiovox SMT5600, that using Windows Mobile 2003 is compatible with most Microsoft’s desktop applications, while Cingular Wireless offered the Nokia 7610, a stylized smartphone version developed with tight budgets in mind. These old mobile devices will recover and keep up-to-date functionality with new mobile software expressly developed as an updated to make them compatibles with third generation technology if available through the end user’s mobile carrier.
Sources: Fox Business News
Frost & Sullivan Corporate Communications
