Location-based local search and information services will be used by nearly 1.5 billion mobile users by 2014, according to a new report from Juniper Research. Among the factors that will drive this growth are surge in mobile Internet usage and increased penetration of integrated GPS receivers within mobile phones.
Hardware wise, Juniper’s report argues that it’s not just the high-end smartphones that come with built-in GPS receivers — many of the lower-cost feature phones can handle location data today.
As for the growth in mobile Internet adoption, it will open doors for the browser-based local search services, which BTW are set to dominate the local search market.
In total, Juniper expects that revenues from all mobile location-based services reach $12.7 billion by 2014. While advertising will comprise an increasing proportion of total market value, some concerns remain regarding its large-scale viability as a primary revenue stream.
Additional details on report titled “Mobile Location-Based Services: Applications, Forecasts & Opportunities 2010-2014” are available from Juniper’s website.