A study by TNS Technology reckons that Japan and Korea have stormed ahead in the uptake of mobile multimedia ‘ which we have banged on about time and again, mostly in the form of Mobile TV with 40 million customers in Japan and over 17 million in Korea.
The report says investments in infrastructure, improving network speeds, a focus on innovation and affordable flat-rate data plans have made developed Asia the world’s most advanced region in mobile technology adoption.
We think we all know that surely ‘ what with both countries exceptionally strong not only in broadband penetration, but in the early adoption of exceptionally high speeds for those broadband signals. This makes them expect more and use more IP services. Even on their phones.
TNS says that the number of consumers using mobile TV features in Japan and Korea has more than doubled in the last year, rising from 14% to 32%. Similar rapid growth is observed in Hong Kong (18% to 32%).
By contrast mobile TV growth in Europe rose from just 6% to 8% with the UK reaching a high of 13%. In the US, although the number of mobile TV users has doubled in the last year, mobile TV uptake remains relatively low at 11% TNS says.
We assume by this that the company is making no distinction between broadcast mobile TV and streaming TV, since there is no broadcast mobile TV in most of Europe.
The most interesting fact is the way it has become a key differentiator of handsets and other portable devices, says TNS. In Korea mobile TV functions are now the single biggest driver of device choice in that market, considered important by 33%, well ahead of MP3 and camera. Desire for mobile TV is also beginning to emerge in developing Asian markets with 25% of users in Thailand and 22% in Vietnam saying that being able to access mobile TV is a key driver of purchase. For the US and the UK those numbers are 5% and 2%.
The report then ruins all these wonderful figures by suggesting that it’s a difference in the consumer’s approach, when everyone knows that it’s a difference in the operators’ approach and the amount of competition they have. Vodafone for instance refuses to innovate in this area because it doesn’t want to spend the money and no rivals are forcing its hand. The same is true of US cellcos. If quality services were available, consumers would use them.