Juniper Research is on a verge of being kinky in its latest report, forecasting that by 2017, a quarter of a billion people will use their mobile devices to access adult content, up by more than 30% on current usage. The report argues that this was attributable to an emphasis on high-definition, niche-centric product, as well as the flourishing availability of mobile-optimized free content.
The research firm says that smartphones and tablets have become key distribution channels for adult service providers, with those at the forefront of the industry ensuring that content is differentiated for and tailored to the increasingly mobile audience. Furthermore, it argued that usage on tablets would be fuelled by the increasing trend towards tablets becoming personal, as opposed to shared household devices.
There are potential roadblocks on the road ahead though, including the mandatory content blocking from leading ISPs in the UK, that will likely restrict future growth in this market. Although network operators throughout the EU routinely impose locks on adult content when users are browsing the mobile web via their cellular network, most access currently occurs via Wi-Fi, where default content blocks are not in place.
Subscription will continue to be the optimal mobile monetization model, while the proportion of mobile adult revenues from adult videochat will grow substantially over the forecast period, at a CAGR of 25%.