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Cell Phones May Threaten Single-Purpose Consumer Electronics Devices

7:20 am on July 22, 2007 | Category: Cell Phones, Mobile Devices

The global market for multi-function wireless handsets will continue to experience very strong growth over the next five years, according to a study by electronics industry research firm, Forward Concepts.

A rapidly increasing number of new handsets feature peripheral chips that Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GPS, FM radio, and Mobile TV; the research firm points out; in addition to their core mobile voice and data functionality. Integrated digital cameras are also becoming more powerful, with 2-megapixels quickly becoming standard in advanced mobile devices.

This growing medley of features will cause more and more consumers around the world to see cell phones as devices that â€œdo everything,â€ Forward Concepts predicts.

“The cell phone continues to be the physical and market magnet that is pulling in the functionality of digital cameras, PDAs, MP3 players, GPS navigators, Bluetooth, FM Radio, digital TV, cordless phones and even smart cards, and is quickly becoming the dominant market for each and all of these functions,” according to the FC report’s principal author, Carter L. Horney. “Companies making such stand-alone products would be well-advised to understand how their market will be affected by cell phones.”

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