Mobile TV to push gaming, music in the shadows

Research firm Screen Digest predicts that mobile TV will overtake gaming and music with around 140 million global subscribers generating revenue of $6.1 billion by 2011.

This is according to a BBC News report, which stated that mobile TV services in Japan, South Korea and Italy are attracting millions, contradicting critics who said consumer would not watch TV on a small device.

Dave McQueen, senior mobile analyst at Screen Digest, noted that with the slowdown in mobile gaming and since music via mobiles is unlikely to generate big revenues, TV makes the best option for operators to make money. He added that as data services fail to deliver big revenues, operators need to make mobile TV a success.

There are about 5.8 million consumers watching TV on their mobile phones in Japan and South Korea, and more consumers watching TV on other hand-held devices and via in-car systems, the report said. Italy's mobile TV services run by Vodafone in conjunction with Sky Italia, currently have 500,000 subscribers.

McQueen added that mobile TV offers operators that chance to attract people away from the pay-as-you-go services to the more profitable contract ones. He said that consumers will be most interested in watching simulcast TV, where the programming on mobile devices mirrors than of conventional TV.