Prediction 7: Machine-to-machine communications
While the sector holds considerable promise, most M2M activity will be restrained to the automotive sector.
Machine–to-machine services are generating significant hype in the region due to the potential billions of new "subscribers" and revenues M2M can bring, APAC lacks both the regulatory mandates seen in other regions and the business models in place to kick start the markets, as manual labor costs are considerably lower in Asia. Therefore, we believe that M2M will remain largely in the automotive sector in 2012.
Prediction 8: Mobile advertising
New business models will start to transform Asia's mobile advertising market.
Japan's mobile advertising market has long dominated Asia's revenues but this is quickly changing due to the rise of smartphones in the region. While SMS-based models are still largely popular there is a wide sweeping migration to banner ads. What is perhaps more interesting is the fact that new business models such as idle-display advertising, augmented reality services and better data analytics are being used to bring the market to the next level and we expect more of such services in 2012.
Prediction 9: Tablet PCs
Apple is vulnerable, but will still own the market.
Apple will still be the undisputed king of the tablet PC market in APAC in 2012, although there is certainly room for other players to compete at lower price points. While we think that the Amazon Fire will certainly appeal in the West, e-readers are not as popular in Asia and we think sales volumes will be lower in this region.
Prediction 10: Mobile operating systems
Android is coming to prominence in key markets but Windows Mobile could get a second wind.
Android leapfrogged iOS in key markets Japan and South Korea in 2011 while RIM's OS holds the lead in many Southeast Asian countries and Apple rules in markets like Australia, Singapore and Hong Kong. We see this trend continuing although Google's purchase of Motorola's mobile device division may push Korean vendors more towards Windows Mobile or their homegrown OS Bada.
Marc Einstein is an industry manager at Frost & Sullivan. For more information, visit http://www.frost.com/prod/servlet/frost-home.pag