As part of its “Next Generation Smartphones” report, Juniper Research is investigating the prospects of video calling services. Obviously, Apple’s FaceTime will give some impetus to the market, but it will not lead to it becoming a mass-market technology in the next five years. As a matter of fact, the research company’s senior analyst Anthony Cox forecasts that there will 29 million smartphone video users in 2015, but the market may be held back by a lack of interoperability between different devices.
“In the longer term the growth of WiFi and 3G in developing markets may make video calling an attractive option for international calls for those working and living away from their families,” he added.
Further findings from the report include:
- Functionality associated with today’s smartphones, such as app store connectivity and touchscreens, will be present in over 84% of handsets shipped in the US by 2015
- The value of global smartphone device shipments will reach $94 billion in 2015
- 3D functionality and dual core processors are among several technical developments that will drive the market forward over the next five years
- Barriers to entry for consumer electronics players have reduced as operating systems have become open source and the component market has become increasingly standardized
And you can get additional information from Juniper Research’s website.