TV and games will push mobile entertainment market $47bn by 2009

The mobile entertainment market will grow to $47bn by 2009, new research predicts.

According to analysts Juniper Research, the total global mobile entertainment market (including gambling, adult content, games, music and TV), is currently worth over $17bn.

The firm forecasts this will grow to $47bn by 2009 and $77bn by 2011, as broadcast mobile TV and mass market casual games really take off.

The global market will be dominated by the Asia Pacific and European regions. Over the whole period 2006 to 2011, Asia Pacific is forecast to contribute 37 per cent of global mobile entertainment revenues and Europe 35 per cent.

Mobile music is currently the largest sector of mobile entertainment and 80 per cent of mobile music revenues come from ringtones. The second largest category, termed infotainment, contains a wide variety of sport, leisure and information products, but is still dominated by wallpaper.

The domination of mobile entertainment by these traditional core products is forecast to be considerably diluted over the next few years, as next generation mobile network technologies become commonplace and consumers better appreciate the wide range of entertainment applications that can be enjoyed on a mobile phone.

By 2011 Juniper Research believes that revenues from mobile games and mobile TV will have overtaken those generated by mobile music, despite strong growth in revenues from full track music.

The value of bets placed through mobile gambling will also have exceeded the value of the mobile music industry, with betting one of the few mobile entertainment sectors that will not see product price erosion.

"There are tremendous revenue opportunities for all value chain participants in mobile entertainment over the next few years," said Bruce Gibson, senior consultant at Juniper Research.

"Busy lifestyles in both developed and developing markets mean that consumers will have to grab entertainment and relaxation as and when they can.

"Growing disposable incomes, next generation mobile technology and the metamorphosis of the mobile handset into a multifunction communications and entertainment device will enable them to achieve this in a way hitherto thought impossible."