Messaging is the least sexy, but most profitable, segment of the huge mobile data market.
While mobile carriers, music producers, television networks and equipment providers throw out a never-ending barrage of multimedia goodies to lure consumers into spending more add-on dollars, users seem content to just keep their heads down and tap out more messages.
Primetime viewing for mobile video hits during the afternoon and early evening, according to Telephia, the largest provider of consumer research to the communications and new media markets. According to Telephia’s Mobile Video Diary Report, 30 percent of mobile video users watch mobile TV and video clips on their cell phones during the hours of noon and 4 pm, and 31 percent watch during the early evening commute hours of 4 pm to 8 pm. Not surprisingly, mobile video viewing drops to just nine percent during the regular television primetime hours of 8 pm to 11 pm.
After years of lagging behind other regions in terms of Internet usage, Latin Americans are now coming online in huge numbers. In particular, the major markets of Brazil and Mexico are re-energizing the sector and giving it a distinctive Latin beat.
According to a study conducted by Compete Inc., Hispanic shoppers are more likely to look for music-enabled phones online than other shoppers and Hispanic mobile phone users more likely to purchase downloadable content such as ringtones, graphics and ringback tones.
