BuzzCity forecasts key mobile trends for 2008
- Added:
- Dec 20, 2007
2007 has seen an unprecedented consumer adoption of social networking services and this growth shows no signs of abating, but in fact extending to the mobile domain.
Juniper predicts a huge increase of mobile social networkers – from 14 million in 2007 to nearly 600 million in 2012.
One element that contributes towards the increased uptake of mobile social networks is the music industry. And in turn the growth of the music industry is being fuelled by mobile social networking, with mobile community users downloading and sharing ring tones and music files faster than hot new artists can produce them.
Whilst 2007 has seen a lot of controversy surrounding the online and mobile music markets, the recording industry is finally beginning to publicly acknowledge the fact that music downloading/P2P sharing is not responsible for the ills of the music industry or even the (eventual) death of the CD.
More record labels, including music giant Warner Music, are beginning to sell music online, and at a cheaper price as more and more popular music begins to enter the public domain.
The rising popularity of independent music will promote the practice of file sharing which will encourage a larger music following online.
Networked communities are key drivers to this explosion of online and mobile music uptake, particularly the more specific mobile networked communities, as they provide low cost and easy distribution pathways to niche producers of music (and video) content.
Mobile communities provide a closer, more intimate experience between musicians & their fans and will be the social media of choice in the evolved music industry of 2008.
Not only does the medium of mobile prove extremely effective at targeting predetermined social network groups, but with many users having limited access to the internet via a PC, mobiles are now emerging as the most convenient and popular way to quickly discover cool new music which can then be downloaded directly on to their handsets. .
In 2008 more and more mobile carriers and mobile content providers will tap into this fast-growing market, focusing on music and videos as a cornerstone of their offering, with mobile communities continuing to fuel the uptake of mobile music as users share and develop their music tastes and knowledge via the medium of mobile social networking.
by
KF Lai
CEO of BuzzCity
BuzzCity is a developer of global wireless communities and consumer services. BuzzCity’s primary offering is myGamma, an international wireless networking community with paid membership. Aimed at young adults worldwide, myGamma provides many avenues for members to interact, broaden their social circles and maintain their mobility. myGamma also provides merchants with a unified platform for content owners & providers to sell their online merchandise.
Established in 1999 in Singapore, BuzzCity now offers myGamma in over 60 countries around the world, and has over 2million users, of which over 1.5million reside in less economically developed and newly industrialised regions.