Mobile music turns up the volume

The fast increasing popularity of full-track downloads and ring-tones will help push mobile music revenues to more than $9.3bn by 2009, according to a newly published study.

The report from Juniper Research predicts that, while downloads of mobile ring-tones will comprise the bulk of revenues at $4.8bn, the market for full-track downloads is expected to increase from just $20m in 2004 to nearly $1.8bn in 2009.

Report author Dr Windsor Holden said: "Last year we saw the major network operators and players taking the first tentative steps towards the mass distribution of master recordings via mobile handsets.

"This year the operators are substantially increasing their catalogues as more labels come onboard, while the vendors are producing more handsets with integrated music players."

The Juniper study expects the total value of global mobile music market to rise by 39 per cent in 2005 to nearly $5bn. Europe is expected to lead revenue growth in the short term, to be overhauled once more by Asia-Pacific revenues by 2007.

European ring-tone price levels are unsustainable and are expected to fall by more than 46 per cent over the next five years. North American prices are predicted to fall by a third over the same period.

The research estimates that the annual number of full-track downloads will reach one billion in 2008.