Mobile porn market set to explode
27-11-2006
by Emmet Ryan

Mobile users are demanding more 'erotic' entertainment as industry analysts forecast a surge in growth in the industry.

Analysts Juniper Research expect the worldwide mobile adult content market to be worth USD3.3 billion by 2011, up from its current level of USD1.4 billion, and a significant increase on forecasts by Informa Telecoms and Media last year which predicted a market value of USD2.3 billion by 2010.

Europe is considered the most lucrative market, according to the Juniper study, with the Asia Pacific region the next most valuable to the industry.

A total of USD14.5 billion in revenue is expected to be generated by the adult mobile content sector over the next five years with Europe accounting for 39 percent revenue over this period. The study estimates that video-based services will account for over 70 percent of revenue in the mobile adult content market by 2011.

"Adult content business models have succeeded in other major delivery media: print, cinema, DVD, PPV TV etc. There is no reason why the mobile channel should not be equally profitable for adult content industry players," said Bruce Gibson, research director at Juniper Research.

"The mobile channel will provide a different way of presenting adult content to traditional delivery channels and will reach new audiences. Mobile is about fun and instant gratification. I think the biggest opportunity is at the casual and softer end of the adult market, [such as] lads in pubs sharing a video clip after a few pints and people looking for a bit of fun when they have spare time to kill etc, not the hard core stuff," he said.

Earlier this month Respond Mobile, a British-based firm that provides adult mobile content, announced the launch of a pan-European service called Rhythm TV. This service will edit content from adult entertainment television stations such as XXX TV and 100% Babes to suit the shorter viewing habits of mobile users. The service is scheduled for launch in January.