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Tag: market-data

  • US Operators Planning Real-Time Mobile Video Services


    Global IP Solutions (GIPS) has released a survey showing that US mobile operators and equipment vendors are supportive in the drive toward real-time video.

    The provider of IP multimedia processing solutions found that over 50 per cent of US wireless operators interviewed plan to launch, or increase access to, real-time video services over the next 2 years.

    GIPS believes mobile video will make the shift to the mainstream in the US market over the next few years.

    The study, carried out for GIPS by Ovum, questioned most of the top US mobile operators, smaller/regional wireless carriers and mobile application developers.

    It also found that in order to compete with larger players, smaller operators are offering more Internet access and are pursuing flexible IP communication applications from 3rd parties.

    Almost half of operators surveyed expressed enthusiasm for delivering "open platforms" for 3rd party software developers.

    Mark Radoff, of Ovum, said the study’s findings showed that real-time video is coming to the forefront for mobile operators.

    "Both the small and large operators are keen to launch these services and determine ways to productize real-time video, to differentiate their services and potentially increase ARPU," he said.

    While only AT&T Wireless has so far launched a video conferencing service, most carriers indicate the service is coming.

    The study found that operators launching video conferencing applications would likely provide opportunity for software vendors.

    While operators have growing confidence in their networks, respondents indicated that optimization is still an issue, as well as usable applications and integration with social networks.

    GIPS pointed out that more than half of the respondents showed enthusiasm for open platforms, whereby software vendors can launch real-time video applications on an operator-approved handset.

    Emerick Woods, CEO of GIPS, said most US mobile operators are running what is classified as a 3G network or 3.5G or equivalent network, which allows them to ensure high quality VOIP and video-based services.

    "Now, with 4G and sophisticated WiMax networks beginning to emerge, there are fewer barriers to offering quality, real-time video and VoIP on mobile phones and networks," he said.

    Woods said the study confirms GIPS’ belief in the accelerating movement toward mobile video adoption and validates the activities from mobile operators and device manufacturers in making it a reality in the next few years.

    We’d be interested in hearing your view on this. Will real-time video go mainstream in the next couple of years?

  • Intel To Invest $ 7 Billion in US Manufacturing


    Intel is bucking current trends and investing USD $7 billion in upgrading three of its US factories over the next two years.

    The computer chipmaker said the investment is its largest on new manufacturing and represents 7,000 high-wage jobs.

    Based in Santa Clara, California, Intel said its upgrade plans were for existing facilities in Arizona, New Mexico and Oregon to manufacture its 32-nanometer products.

    Paul Otellini, president and CEO of Intel, said the investment decision was to ensure Intel and the US remained at the forefront of innovation.

    He said the manufacturing facilities would produce the most advanced computing technology in the world.

    Intel president and CEO Paul Otellini

    "The capabilities of our 32nm factories are truly extraordinary, and the chips they produce will become the basic building blocks of the digital world, generating economic returns far beyond our industry," he said.

    While more than a third of Intel’s sales are from outside the US, the company does 75 per cent of its semiconductor manufacturing and research-and-development spending in the US.

    Chips makers such as Intel and Advanced Micro Devices have experienced a decline in demand as global computers sales wither in the face of the economic crisis.

    Last month, Intel announced the closure of manufacturing sites in California and Oregon, and test facilities in Malaysia and the Philippines, resulting in 5,000 to 6,000 job losses.

  • Growth of Mobile Content and Services Sector Threatened


    The UK’s mobile content and services market could be in for tough times if research from mobile research and analyst house Direct2 Mobile bears out.

    Its survey found that over 7 per cent of consumers have stopped, or intend to stop, their spend on content and services until better economic conditions emerge.

    D2M said that figure represents 3.96 million users – or almost 50 per cent of the existing mobile content and service user base.

    Nearly a fifth of respondents (17.8 per cent of men / 16.3 per cent of women) – or around 10 million users – said they will not subscribe to mobile content and service subscriptions, such as mobile Internet access, mobile TV and mobile music services, until the economic environment changes.

    Nick Lane, chief researcher at D2M, said the glass is half full for the mobile operators and half empty for the mobile content and service industry.

    "As almost half the advanced data users are reverting to talk-and-text only usage, the mobile entertainment companies should remain vigilant for the foreseeable future," he said.

    "And with 20 per cent of the UK’s mobile population unlikely to subscribe to mobile data subscription services during the recession, it threatens to seriously impact on growth in the mobile content and services sector."

    The UK mobile entertainment market was worth approximately UKP£505.8 million in 2008, according to D2M.

    The survey, conducted by Lightspeed Research, asked a representative sample of 1,000 UK consumers about their changing spending attitudes and habits on mobile.

  • Subscriptions and Video Drive Mobile Adult Revenues To $ 2.2bn In 2008


    Increasing demand for streamed subscriptions services and video chat earned the global mobile market for adult content USD $2.8 billion in 2008.

    That represents an increase of 36 per cent over the previous year, according to a report from Juniper Research.

    The mobile adult report found that the increasing prevalence of 3G handsets in many European markets had led to migration away from services offering only text and graphics towards video-based services.

    This has resulted in significantly higher average revenue per user (ARPU) levels for service providers.

  • Mobile TV Viewers to Rise to 500 Million In 2013


    The switchover to all-digital television broadcasting in the US and other major countries will create an unprecedented opportunity for the mobile TV market.

    A study from ABI Research forecasts that traditional and mobile TV broadcasters and cellular operators in many regions will launch mobile TV services that will attract over 500 million viewers by 2013.

    Its says that mobile TV will be seen as an extension of traditional broadcast TV services.

    The researchers stress the important distinction between content streamed to mobile handsets over cellular networks, and free-to-air broadcasting to mobile devices equipped with mobile TV tuners.

    Jeff Orr, senior ABI analyst, said that mobile TV users have yet to value the medium properly because it has not been validated as an independent product and service.

    "It has been primarily offered at the end of a long list of more preferred cellular services," he said.

    "However, Mobile TV will soon be positioned in a more proper role as an extension of traditional broadcast TV services."

    Orr said mobile TV viewing will not be done solely on cellular handsets.

    He said devices such as MIDs and automotive infotainment systems will also play a part.

    "I believe that once the content is available and the services launched, mobile TV will enable more classes of mobile devices that are "natural fits" for mobile entertainment."

    The report says that those most likely to benefit from the rise of mobile TV are:

    • Content developers and providers
    • Device vendors, especially MID and cellular handset OEMs
    • Service providers
    • Multimedia and security software
    • Semiconductor and network infrastructure vendors

    Once mobile TV users adopt the service at high growth levels, advertisers will also climb on board to target the significant number of new "mobile eyeballs".

    ABI Research also believes the timing of the mobile TV market’s emergence is good.

    It said that as 2009 progresses, signs of economic optimism may emerge, and allow the fledgling industry to establish a foothold before the holiday shopping season.

  • Euro HD To Nearly Triple In Five Years


    The number of HDTVs in European households is set to rise from 59 million now to 170 million by 2013.

    What’s more encouraging is the number of HD channels distributed in Europe should go from the current 130 to more than 600 in the same period, according to a study by NPA Conseil and Euroconsult.

    The boost to high-def content should hopefully go some way to address Europe’s dismal performance compared to the US and Japan.

    An In-Stat study recently highlighted the fact that 61 per cent of the global total of 36 million HDTV households – defined as households having both an installed HD-capable TV set and also receiving and watching HD programming – are in the US.

    Last year, France was the first in Europe to launch an HD platform on DTT.

  • Blu-ray Players To Become Leading Connected Device


    Nearly two-thirds of US viewers want to watch Internet-based streaming video on their home HDTV, according to research.

    The results endorse the growing trend for set manufacturers’ to launch internet-connected HDTVs, as was evidenced at last month’s CES.

    In-Stat’s consumer survey reveals that 64 per cent of US respondents are "somewhat, very or extremely interested" in watching net-based streaming video on their household TV.

    However, the study found that few home network users currently have permanent connections between their consumer electronics devices and their home networks.

    Those that are most commonly connected are game consoles.

    However, the report said that as more connected devices become available it is Blue-ray DVD players/ recorders that will emerge as the leading connected device.

    Joyce Putscher, In-Stat analyst, said the primary reasons that more devices are not connected to home networks are:

    • consumer awareness/knowledge
    • availability of network-capable CE products on retail shelves
    • prices of network-capable CE products
    • competition with non-network-capable CE products (like docking stations)
    • lack of perceived need by some consumers


    Among the other findings were the following:

    • Almost 43% of the Windows PCs used in North American homes in June 2008 had Media Center functionality, up from 32% in 2007.
    • The worldwide media server-capable device market is estimated at $50 billion in 2008.
    • A proliferating set of competitors are offering a range of Digital Media Adapter/Player/Receiver (DMA/DMP/DMR) devices, including Apple, Cisco, Denon, Hewlett-Packard, Roku, Samsung, and many others.

  • BCS Develops New Qualification For Data Centres


    The British Computer Society (BCS) is to develop a new qualification for data centre operators.

    It follows the publication of the EU Code of Conduct for data centres and BCS’ recent work to encourage the IT industry to address the issues of energy cost, power consumption and carbon emissions.

    The qualification will set an international standard for IT professionals in understanding energy efficiency irrespective of what discipline they practice within the industry.

    It will take the form of a one hour examination following a three-day practitioner course based on understanding and implementing the EU Code of Conduct for data centre operators.

    Pete Bayley, BCS director of qualifications, said: "With estimates that a data centre can account for 25 per cent of the total IT cost to a ‘typical’ company, many businesses are examining how they can make their centres more efficient both in terms of costs and carbon emissions to comply with the new EU Code of Conduct."

    The new qualification is part of the ongoing programme of work the BCS is delivering to industry through its carbon footprint working group and data centre specialist group.

    This programme addresses the needs of organisation in understanding their energy use and implementing an holistic approach to energy accounting and management.

    Bayley said he believed the qualification and training would be of interest not only to almost all subject matter experts within the field of IT but also IT procurement where the best practices form an independent set of measures by which energy efficiency claims can be usefully assessed and compared.

    Liam Newcombe, secretary of the data centre specialist group said: "After almost 18 months working with worldwide industry representatives, academics and government bodies to develop the EU code of conduct as an independent, effective and trusted standard, BCS is taking up the challenge of providing education and qualifications to support its delivery and implementation."

    The qualification will be available from summer 2009 and will complement the BCS Foundation Certificate in Green IT which will be launched in April 2009

  • SSDs and Video Capture Are Fastest Growing NAND Flash Applications


    NAND flash revenue in two key applications – Solid State Drives (SSDs) and Video Capture from Digital Video Cameras (DVCs) – will see compound annual growth rates (CAGR) of over 100 per cent through 2012, according to In-Stat.

    The analysts said this will overcome some of the weaknesses in other segments of the NAND flash market and drive overall growth to 30 per cent CAGR.

    Jim McGregor, In-Stat analyst, said the top four applications for NAND flash will remain MP3 players and PMPs, mobile handsets, after-market cards, and USB Flash Drives.

    He said they will command a combined market share of over 80 per cent over the next couple of years.

    "This percentage will drop to about 70 per cent by 2012, as solid state drives (SSDs) and video capture from digital video cameras (DVCs), grow in mportance," he said.

    Among the NAND Flash market share leaders, including Samsung, Toshiba and Hynix, all lost market share in 2007.

    Smaller share competitors, Micron and Intel, each gained share.

    The In-Stat report forecasts that worldwide NAND flash revenues are likely to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 29.7 per cent from 2007-2012 to reach USD $61 billion.

    Worldwide NOR flash revenues will increase at a 6 per cent CAGR from 2007 through 2012.

  • Verizon To Close VoiceWing VoIP Service


    Verizon is to shut its VoIP service VoiceWing on 31 March.

    Existing VoiceWing VoIP service customers have been contacted by Verizon Communications to inform them that it is withdrawing the offering from the end of March.

    The company does not report how many VoiceWing subscribers it has on its books.

    VoiceWing is likely to be replaced by a new venture, FiOS Digital Voice.

    Verizon recently launched ‘The Hub‘, a multifunction touch-screen home phone that connects to a broadband line.

    It also has plans to introduce a new VoIP package utilising its own fibre-optic connections.

    VoiceWing was launched five years ago by rebranding DeltaThree. It was set up to compete with Vonage.

    DeltaThree, which ran the back-end services for VoiceWing, has also been a victim of the times and has been running out of cash. It was recently delisted from Nasdaq.