Industry Outlook 2010

Each year, our analyst teams look to the year ahead and analyse the changes, challenges, trends and opportunities that we expect to see. In the new 8th edition of our annual Industry Outlook report, we’ve made 35 predictions across the spectrum of global sectors that we cover (mobile handsets & devices, mobile content & apps, mobile operator strategy, networks, broadband & Internet and television) and included a piece of thoughtful analysis from our Intelligence Centre alongside each one to support our predictions.

In addition to our predictions and analysis, we also include the results from our exclusive industry survey and look at what the wider market is saying about the year ahead, including how they think their businesses will perform.

Undoubtedly 2010 will be a year of caution following the events of 2009. And while we forecast the global telecoms and media sectors will start to see the signs of early recovery, the leading market players will need to ensure that their businesses, products, services and strategies are optimised for the year ahead.

Industry Outlook 2010 is the perfect accompaniment to the start of the new year. It gives you and your business a refreshingly honest vision of the challenges and opportunities that the next 12 months will present.

The 176-page Industry Outlook 2010 features 35 predictions, including:

• 'Widgets' will become the key to harnessing power of the mobile web.
• Fixed broadband operators will experiment with new business models in a bid to end the 'arms race' of increasing speeds and declining prices.
• North American pay TV revenues will peak in 2010.
• Mobile operators will make small steps towards a de facto functional separation in order to position themselves to address the demand for 3rd party connected devices and applications.
• Mobile LTE commercial launches will slip to 2013/2014 but LTE's role as a provider of rural broadband connectivity will gain momentum.
• IPTV operators will embrace 'over-the-top' TV and open Internet apps.
• Operator app stores will struggle to compete with handset-manufacturer initiatives; Android will emerge as a worthy competitor to the iPhone.
• Network sharing and outsourcing will gain in popularity as the drive towards cost-control intensifies but the network itself will remain a key point of differentiation for operators.
• Enhanced address books will become a focus for mobile operators and handset manufacturers.
• HDTV will reach tipping point but platforms still need to increase channels to win over subscribers.