Camera Phone Officially Kills Film Camera

Ontela, Inc., provider of award-winning imaging services for wireless carriers, released survey results today that indicate the imminent death of the traditional film camera amongst U.S. consumers.

The last three years of data have shown a steady decline in people who report owning a traditional film camera, decreasing from 67% in 2007, to 61% in 2008, and dropping all the way to 48% in 2009.

Conversely, camera phones continue to grow in ubiquity, going from just 70% reporting that they owned a phone with a camera in 2007, to 78% in 2008 and 87% in 2009.

[Read full news release from Business Wire. Image from Switched]

Nielsen: Mobile Video Use Lags Behind

For all the promise of mobile video as a new media platform, in the second quarter, there were about 15.3 million active mobile video users, according to a recent Nielsen Mobile Video Report.

-- This represents just 7% of all those who have mobile phones -- roughly 220 million people in the U.S. The silver lining, of sorts, is that this number is up 70% versus 2008's 10-million subscriber mobile video mark.

-- Half of U.S. mobile subscribers -- 52% -- still carry phones that aren't even capable of viewing video, and that's just a bit better than the 62% number a year ago.

-- Almost all current mobile video users -- 78% -- are first-year users.

[via Mediapost]

iPhone to Become #1 Camera on Flickr

For the longest time, the Canon EOS Digital Rebel XTi has been the most widely used camera on Flickr.

But while Canon has dominated, there’s another camera that’s been zipping up the Flickr charts, it's the iPhone, according to according to Flickr’s Camera Finder graphs.

[via Mashable]

Streaming, not P2P, behind mobile broadband data usage surge

Mobile data use grew by 30 percent in the second quarter of this year as HTTP streaming from sites like YouTube and Hulu surged 58 percent. P2P use can cause mobile data congestion, but it's growing far more slowly than other kinds of data traffic. arstechnica reports.

According to the report, "What is most noticeable from the data gathered in this report is that subscribers are treating their mobile networks much the same as they treat their fixed networks. This is particularly true for heavy data users who seem to expect the same service from the Internet, irrespective of their access method."

YouTube Mobile Uploads Up 400% Since iPhone 3GS Launch

YouTube reports that in the six days since the iPhone 3GS was released last week, the number of mobile uploads has increased by a whopping 400%. For a single phone model to have such a major impact on the site is simply phenomenal. [via TechCrunch]

Even without the iPhone, YouTube is seeing major growth across the entire mobile space — the site has seen uploads go up 1700% over the last six months. It’s not hard to guess why. Video-enabled smartphones are becoming increasingly popular, as are high speed data connections.

YouTube also attributes part of the growth to a streamlined upload flow (note how easy it is to upload a video from your iPhone to the site), as well as its improved sharing capabilities (you can now syndicate your videos to services like Facebook and Twitter).

Fifty-four percent don't need mobile video

FierceMobile Content reports on a new consumer study issued by global management consulting, technology services and outsourcing firm Accenture:

-- 79 percent of subscribers still use their mobile phones primarily as a channel to communicate via voice, text and email

-- 54 percent indicating their don't want or need mobile video services

--14 percent of users surveyed contend mobile services are too expensive and 9 percent add that video-enabled handsets are too expensive as well

-- When asked if the availability of mobile content would drive them to upgrade their mobile data plan to include video services, 70 percent replied "to a very little extent."

Other findings of the Accenture report:

-- The percentage of consumers watching video on a mobile phone rose from 12 percent in late 2007 to 14 percent in late 2008

-- The percentage of consumers accessing the mobile web rose from 8 percent in 2007 to 23 percent in 2008

-- About a third of respondents indicate web browsing is one of their top three favorite mobile applications

-- Almost 25 percent indicate listening to music on their mobile phone browsing is one of their top three favorite mobile applications

Although consumers are reluctant to embrace multimedia on their mobile phones, Accenture reports a growing number of respondents are embracing new forms of digital entertainment: Baby Boomers ages 45 and up are increasingly playing videogames on the go and listening to music via MP3 player, although they remain far behind Generation Y in actual usage.

In addition, Boomers are adapting to new digital platforms like blogging, social networking and Internet video, but remain far behind younger generations.

Nielsen: Mobile Video Usage Small, But Growing

Despite the popularity of the iPhone, and the general touch screen mania that has been sweeping the U.S. over the past year, still very few people actually watch video on their cell phones. But the numbers are on the rise, according to a new report issued by The Nielsen Company. MediaWeek reports.

According to Nielsen, 10.3 million U.S. mobile subscribers access video content on their phones during a given month, or just 5 percent of all wireless subscribers. However, the audience is growing—up 14 percent versus 2007--driven primarily to more Internet-friendly phones in the market.

A fifth of teens send nude pics on phones

A survey of hundreds of American teenagers claims that one in five of them have sent pictures of themselves partially clothed by text. Metro Boston News reports.

And twice as many claim to have sent explicit SMS messages from their cell phones, according to the National Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy, whose survey was carried out jointly with cosmogirl.com.

Although they conceded that there was high risk of embarrassment, or a risk of disappointing their family, more than a fifth of those teenagers surveyed said sending nude pictures of themselves and sexually explicit messages was “no big deal.”

Nielsen: Mobile Video Use Rises

According to data compiled by Nielsen for the third quarter of 2008, more than 100 million U.S. consumers -- 42 percent of mobile subscribers -- have video-capable cell phones. An estimated 10.3 million of those mobile consumers are watching TV/video on their cell phones.

These findings indicate that mobile video viewing has increased 14 percent compared to Q2 2008.

[via AdWeek]

Mobile Video Still a Niche Market

According to the latest data from Comscore, 6.5 million Americans watched videos on their cell phones in August. YouTube-style amateur videos ranked as the most popular type of content, followed closely by music and comedy videos. The New York Times reports.

Comscore also released some data about general mobile media consumption trends, where the survey found that, year-over-year, more users are now using their mobile devices to access social networking services and read news stories, while fewer users are downloading ringtones and games.

In the US, only 3% watch TV on their cell phone

Only 3 percent of Americans regularly watched video on their cell phones in 2007, according to a survey by the Pew Internet & American Life Project.

[via AP]

Nielsen Reports TV, Internet and Mobile Usage Among Americans

The Nielsen Company today released the first comparable U.S. figures showing video and TV usage across the 'three screens' - Television, Internet and Mobile devices. (pdf)

Nielsen's findings show that screen time of the average American continues to increase with TV users watching more TV than ever before (127hrs, 15 min per month), while also spending 9% more time using the Internet (26 hrs, 26 min per month) from last year.

At the same time, a small but growing number of Internet and mobile phone users are watching video online (2 hrs, 19 min per month), as well as using their cell phones to watch video (3 hrs, 15 min per month).

... As of Q1 2008, 91 million Americans (36% of all mobile phone subscribers in the U.S.) owned a video-capable phone.

[via PR Newswire]

Photo Messaging Climbed 60 Percent in the United States During the Past Year

comScore Inc. has released the latest figures from the M:Metrics Benchmark Study report saying that photo messaging from mobile phones has grown 60 percent in the US over the past year and 16 percent in Europe.

As the mercury climbs in the summer months, so does the usage of photo messaging in the United States, where for the past three years, photo messaging rates have been higher than average in July and August.

The M:Metrics Benchmark Study indicates that the photo messaging growth in the U.S. is coming from all age demographic segments, with the fastest growth coming from teens and those older than 35. In the more developed European market, the strongest growth is coming from those aged 55 years and older.

[via M:Metrics e-mail press release]

AT&T to boost online content distribution

As more companies launch websites with video and interactive features, AT&T said it will spend nearly $70 million by the end of the year to bolster its network infrastructure across the United States, Europe and parts of Asia.

[via Reuters]

Mobile internet use 'rocketing in Europe'

Europe has taken to 3G faster than any other region in the world and usage is growing rapidly as networks proliferate, according to research commissioned by mobile operator body the GSM Association. silicon.com reports.

"The EU's mobile data market grew by 40 per cent last year, to €7bn ($13.7bn), the research found, with 3G users doubling to 112 million in the year to April 2008.

The GSMA said the falling cost of 3G services, handsets and 3G-enabled laptops and dongles are helping to drive the market, and it claimed mobile broadband services in some European markets are now priced lower than comparable fixed-line broadband.

Competition from wi-fi is also helping to bring prices down, it said."

37 percent of iPhone users watch video

According to Nielsen Mobile's first-quarter 2008 data on iPhones, 37 percent of iPhone users watch video (ten times more than the average cellphone user).

[via Bits]

Video on cellphones not taking off

Americans are watching more video on their PCs -- but not on their cellphones, according to a recent study from researcher Ipsos MediaCT. USA Today reports.

"Ipsos surveyed Americans who had downloaded or streamed at least one video. (Anyone who has ever been to YouTube counts.) That group watched an average of 70% of their video on TV, down from 75% a year ago, the study says. The amount of video watched on a PC rose.

So far, the amount of video watched on a cellphone or PDA is around 1%."

3G services 'largely unused' in Australia

A third of Australian consumers own a 3G-capable phone but two thirds of these do not use the available 3G services, a new report, part of the Australian Communications and Media Authority Telecommunications Today series, has revealed. [via
Stuff.co.nz]

"Half of those who owned a 3G phone but did not use the 3G services - which include mobile internet, video calling and music streaming - had no interest in them. Others cited high costs and lack of knowledge on how to access the services.

... The low use of 3G services among those with 3G-capable mobiles was due to lack of knowledge and the historically high costs.

"Some people wouldn't even know if they're on 3G or not ... they want an [Nokia] N95 because it can play videos or has a good camera - they get a 3G phone for the features not for the fact that it's 3G," said Mark Novosel, telecommunications market analyst at IDC.

Panasonic Sells its 100 Millionth Cell Phone in Japan

Panasonic has become the first cell-phone manufacturer to ship 100 million units in the Japanese market, reports PC World.

"... Its popularity has led Panasonic to put some of the know-how from its flat-panel TV business into its latest phones. The newest models carry the same Viera brand-name as its big-screen TVs. "

More than 20 Million TV Phones Ship in Japan

Shipments of cell phones compatible with Japan's mobile digital TV service have surged to more than 20 million units in fewer than two years since launch, according to industry data released Wednesday. [via PC World]

USA. Multimedia cell phones are mainstream

As of November 2007, camera phones represented 79% of U.S. handset sales, cameras that capture video accounted for 56%, and 52% of phones could play music, according to NPD Group's Mobile Phone Track.

[via RCRWireless News]

36% use their cell phones as entertainment devices

About 38% of consumers are watching TV shows online, 36% use their cell phones as entertainment devices and 45% are creating online content like Web sites, music, videos and blogs for others, according to a new-media survey from Deloitte & Touche.

The "State of the Media Democracy" notes that in Deloitte's first edition of the survey just eight months earlier, 24% of consumers used their cell phones as entertainment devices. The current figure soars to 62% among millenials (consumers 13-to-24-years-old) compared with 46% in the previous study conducted Feb. 23-March 6, 2007. And among Generation X consumers (25-to-41-year-olds), the number grew from 47% to 29% in the earlier survey.

About 20% of consumers said they are viewing video content on their cell phones daily or almost daily."

[via The Hollywood Reporter]

Sales Of Multimedia Phones To Pass TVs Next Year

Worldwide shipments of multimedia-enabled mobile phones will exceed 300 million units next year, surpassing shipments of television sets, according to a research report being released this week by MultiMedia Intelligence. Sales of such phones will generate over $76 billion in revenue.

[via Information Week]

Shoot first, talk later

Mobile phone makers race to take lead in megapixel camera phone battle. The Traits Times reports.

"Not satisfied with (by now) measly 3-megapixel shooters, phone makers are frantically squeezing up to 5 megapixels worth of cameras into their puny handsets.

Sony Ericsson and Samsung, for instance, have just unveiled their 5-megapixel shooters this month. And even before you can say 'cheese', the new range of 10-megapixel phones are already in the works.

Samsung, for instance, has just unveiled the world's first 10-megapixel mobile phone, the SCH-B600.

Not to be outdone, camera lens maker Carl Zeiss says that its next generation of 10-megapixel cellphones will soon hit the shelves.

That is something, especially as most professional cameras have not even reached that level yet.

The surge in pixel numbers seems to be meeting the needs of local users, evident in the large number of people buying these devices.

Research firm GFK Asia says that 1.05 million camera-enabled cellphones flew off the shelves in the first six months of this year, an increase of 13 per cent over the same period in 2006."

Camera phones also made up nearly 83 per cent of all mobile phone sales in the first half of this year, with sales rising 18 per cent over the same period last year to about 870,000 units."

Picture left, Samsung's 7-megapixel camera phone.

Phone sales put pressure on digital camera

According to the The Telegraph, sales of the digital camera will fall for the first time this year as growing numbers of people rely on their mobile phones to take pictures.

According to Mintel, the market research agency, consumers have finally grown tired of the gadget that transformed the photography market and sales are predicted to fall from £951 ($1.947 )million to £890 ($1.822) million.

Fevzi Turkalp, founder of the
GadgetDetective.com , said that a range of new camera-phones out this year were causing the demise of the "small, point-and-shoot cameras."

78 Percent Of Mobile TV Viewers In Japan, Korea

Analyst firm Berg Insight has released a report that there were about 38 million viewers of mobile TV in Japan and South Korea in mid-2007, representing about 78 percent of the total mobile TV audience (implying that there are about 49 million mobile TV users globally).

[via MocoNews]

Mobile Video Audience Grew To 8 Million: MMetrics

The US mobile audience has grown by more than one-third this year to eight million, according to a new study by mobile market research firm M:Metrics. Online Media Daily reports.

"With 6.8 million viewers, viral clips have proven to be the most popular category of mobile video.

... Viewership for video delivered on-deck increased 28% since January to 2.7 milion. The increasing numbers are a promising sign for mobile publishers and advertisers, say MMetrics analysts."

...Video watchers represent only a tiny fraction of all cell phone subscribers in the U.S. Those who watched over-the-air mobile TV broadcasts and/or video clips at least once a week amounted to less than one percent."

Japanese like to print camphone pics

More than one-half of Japanese consumers say they take pictures with their camera phones several times a week, according to the Mobile Imaging and Printing Consortium, reports eMarketer..

"Camera-phone photographers do like print copies of some of their work. Four in 10 consumers said they had printed out pictures taken with their camera phones. More than one-half of working women and grandmothers said they had done so.

... About 40% of respondents surveyed said that there were photos they had taken by camera phone that they would like to print."

Predictions for mobile TV in 2012

I don't believe much in predictions, because in 2012, 5 years from now, no one will compare Juniper Research with actual market igures or even remember the study. But for those who do care for numbers, here goes, via Moco News:

"There will be nearly 120 million people watching mobile broadcast TV in more than 40 countries by 201, which will generate $6.6 billion in revenue, according to Juniper Research."

Mobile operators see 10 times more potential in social networking

The success of social networking sites such as Facebook, Bebo and even YouTube could represent the next boom for the mobile phone operators. The Guardian reports.

"Revenues from user-generated content -such as videos and blogs created by consumers rather than media organisations - onto mobile phones is expected to rise more than tenfold over the next five years, according to estimates by Juniper Research published yesterday.

Allowing the legion of bloggers, Facebook posters and comedy clip makers to upload and view each other's every movement on their mobile phone could be worth $5.74bn (£2.87bn) by 2012, according to Juniper, from just $576m this year."

Read full article.

Camera phones will top 1B this year

The number of mobile camera phones in use will top 1 billion this year, reflecting their tremendous growth rate since they hit the market around seven years ago, according to a new market evaluation, reports Computerworld.

"Sales shot up from about 3 million camera phones in 2001 to 500 million last year, according to figures released Friday by Strategy Analytics Ltd. However, the growth will likely start to level off, said Neil Mawton, an associate director at the market research company.

Instead, people will upgrade existing camera phones, with manufacturers trying to entice them with high-end features that will dwarf what was available a few years ago, Mawton said. They will offer cameras with improved zoom capabilities, autofocus, better flashes and faster shutter speeds." Read full article.

Camera Phones Will Top 1 Billion This Year

The number of mobile camera phones in use will top 1 billion this year, reflecting their tremendous growth rate since they hit the market around seven years ago, according to a new market evaluation. [via PC World]

"Sales shot up from about 3 million camera phones in 2001 to 500 million last year, according to figures released Friday from Strategy Analytics Ltd."

'Side-Loading' Could Kill Wireless Carriers' Entertainment Plans

Despite spending billions of dollars to deliver entertainment to subscribers, wireless carriers are unlikely to dominate in providing music, video and games to mobile phones, a market researcher said Tuesday. TechWeb reports.

"The biggest challenger to operators is a practice known as "side-loading," which is the loading of content in phones via PCs or other devices. The practice essentially bypasses premium services sold by mobile communication providers, iSuppli said.

By 2010, the number of phones that include USB ports is expected to number 764 million units, making the wired connection to a PC or other device the most ubiquitous interface in the industry".

... Consumers' preference to tap multiple content sources for mobile devices has already been established. For example, most of the music played on the highly successful Apple iPod are ripped from CDs, not bought from Apple's tightly integrated online music store iTunes, analysts say.

Camera Phones Take Over

Research by market forecaster Gartner Group indicates that in 2010 over 1 billion camera-equipped cell phones will be sold worldwide, nearly double the 589 million predicted to sell this year. [via Switched]

South Korea's KTF Signs Nearly 425,000 3G Subscribers

KTF Co., South Korea's second-largest cellphone carrier by subscribers, has signed up nearly 425,000 people to the third-generation service that launched in March. Wall Street Journal reports.

After its formal launch, KTF remodeled thousands of retail outlets around the country with a new brand name, "Show." The name is also appearing as a co-brand on 3G-ready handsets from several manufacturers.

... With the new brand, KTF's marketing emphasizes the video-conferencing capabilities of 3G phones. Mr. Cho said the new service has another major selling point for the millions of Koreans who travel outside the country: greater compatibility with cellphone systems elsewhere in the world."

Mobile advertising to hit $3 billion in 2007

The worldwide mobile marketing and advertising market is expected to be worth $3 billion in 2007, according to market research firm ABI Research via News.com.

"The market will balloon to $19 billion by 2011, the firm said in a study published Tuesday.

The bulk of the revenue will be generated by advertising through mobile search and video. In particular, broadcast mobile video will see a lot of mobile marketing activity. T

The firm predicts that by 2011 video-based ads will surpass SMS as a source of mobile marketing spending, and that advertising on broadcast mobile video alone will reach about $9 billion by 2011."

Industry worries whether people will watch entertainment videos on their cell phones.

According to The Mercury News, "nearly 80 percent of Americans have cell phones, but less than 1 percent of them watch video clips regularly, averaging 10 minutes or less a week".

The rest of the article voices concerns from the entertainment industry as to whether mobile video content will catch on.

Seems so obvious to me that it will. But you can read for yourself.

Another study in the news todays finds wireless users want short video clips, not television programming. [via The Canadian Press]

Nokia biggest camera maker

Nokia said it was the world's largest camera maker last year, selling about 140 million camera phones, and the world's largest manufacturer of music devices, with 70 million music-enabled devices sold. moneyCNN reports.

"More than 850 million people have a Nokia mobile phone in their hands. No other consumer electronics company in the world has ever had such a customer base," Nokia Chief Executive Olli-Pekka Kallasvuo said in a statement.

... Nokia said it sold almost 40 million multimedia phones last year. It said the total market for these advanced phones, also called converged devices, was 90 million units in 2006, and is expected to grow to 250 million units in 2008.

Nokia said it sold nearly 70 million music phones in 2006. It had aimed to sell 80 million music phones for the year."

More than 77 pct Chinese mobile users sure to buy 3G handsets

A survey released here Thursday claims that more than 77 percent of Chinese mobile users are keen to buy 3G handsets when they become available, reports China View.

" According to the survey by the China Center for Information Industry Development (CCID), 17 percent of users say they might buy 3G handsets and merely 6 percent of users say they would not buy one.

... China has more than 455 million mobile users and the figure is rising by more than 5 million a month. The country has been preparing for the launch of 3G service for years and is expected to issue 3G licenses next year."

High-End Cell Phones A Tough Sell

Cell phone makers want to sell pricier models, but the dearth of 3G, or third-generation, wireless networks limits their opportunities, according to Investors Business Daily

About 75% of the world's wireless networks have yet to be upgraded to 3G.

Areas without 3G include the four fastest-growing wireless nations: Brazil, Russia, India and China, known by the initials BRIC.

Only one in 10 mobile phones sold worldwide this year will be a 3G model, says market research firm Informa.

By year-end 2010, Informa forecasts that only 9% of cell phone users in BRIC countries will be using 3G phones, whereas Japan is at more than 60%."

Nearly 50 Percent of Worldwide Mobile Phones Will Have a Camera in 2006

Gartner says 48 percent of cellular phones will incorporate cameras this year and 81 percent will have them by 2010, according to the research group's pressrelease.

"Worldwide sales of camera phones will account for 48 percent of total worldwide mobile phone sales in 2006, growing to 81 percent by 2010, according to new forecasts from Gartner.

For the past three years, the market has been dominated by sales of camera phones with less than one mega pixels. This will reach 51 percent of total mobile phone sales in 2006. By 2007, Gartner predicts that more than half of the camera phones will have at least one or two mega pixels.

[via Reiter's Camera Phone Report]

Mobile User generated content set for major boost

User-generated content and communities on mobile will be worth $13.1bn (£6.95bn) within five years, according to a report by Informa Telecoms & Media and the Mobile Entertainment Forum, reports NMA.

"The value of the sector will be boosted by big online players like MySpace, Bebo and YouTube going mobile, according to the report.

MySpace and Bebo are working on their mobile strategies with no specified roll-out date, while YouTube has yet to announce any mobile plans."

Half of UK Phones have Cameras

The number of camera enabled cell phones currently in use across the UK now exceeds 33.5 million, according to The Mobile Data Association, reports Cellular News.

"This represents more than 50% of the 67 million handsets in use in the UK today."

Worldwide Camera Phone Installed to reach 850 million units in 2006

According to a new forecast by Lyra Research, the digital imaging authority, camera phones have now become the most prevalent image-capture devices in the world. The global installed base of camera phones has now surpassed that of film and digital cameras combined. ]via PRWeb ]

"Lyra estimates that the installed base of camera phones will reach approximately 850 million units in 2006, and this number is expected to grow to more than 1.5 billion units in 2010."

MMS Usage Up 40% In The US

Messaging company Mobile365 says the number of mobile-originated MMS messages it processed in the US increased 40% from the first to the second quarter, a pretty significant jump. [via MobHappy]