31 May 2007

Mobile Phone Accessories Generating More
Revenue than Smartphones in 2007

The market for mobile phone accessories will generate over $32 billion in revenues in 2007, more than the $28 billion expected from the Smartphone market. Around 77% of these revenues will come from the sales of "after-market" mobile phone accessories and the remaining from "in-box" accessories shipments.

According to ABI Research industry analyst Shailendra Pandey, "The number of mobile phone accessory products is expanding with new products driven by technology as well as by customer fashion and personalization needs appearing in the market.

Handset vendors and mobile operators are showing greater interest as accessories provide high margins and also opportunities to promote their brand and expand their product offerings. The growing interest among mobile operators is also driven by the realization that mobile phone accessories can lead to higher ARPUs."

Handset vendors now recognize that to increase sales of their high-end mobile phones and smartphones, they need to provide accessories that allow users to fully enjoy and benefit from the features provided in those handsets.

Nokia is addressing the handset accessory market with a distinctive approach of "Mobile Enhancement" products while Motorola is placing special emphasis on the growing "Personalization" and "Self-Expression" trends.

ABI Research expects the market for mobile phone accessories to grow steadily in the next five years and generate over $80 billion in revenues in 2012. The continuing innovation and further advancements in technology coupled with the increasing desire of customers to personalize their handsets, bodes well for the future of the market.

The firm's recent study, "Mobile Phone Accessories" examines the market landscape and future potential for mobile phone accessory products. It discusses the various types of mobile phone accessories, their features and pricing, key suppliers, market outlook, vendor market share analysis for key accessories, as well as in-depth analysis for both in-box and after-market mobile phone accessories