• by Jack Loechner , Staff Writer, July 2, 2007

Telephia recently announced the latest research from the Mobile Video Report, showing that mobile TV/video subscription revenues grew 198% year-over-year to $146 million in Q1 2007. There were 8.4 million mobile video subscribers last quarter with penetration doubling to nearly four percent since Q1 2006.

In Q1 2007, revenues for mobile audio music totaled $239 million (including realtones, ringtones and full track music). There were 27 million mobile subscribers who downloaded audio on their phones in Q1, as compared to 19 million during the same time last year. Moreover, nearly 29 million mobile video consumers logged onto the mobile Web in March 2007, a penetration rate of about 12 percent.                      

With the latest news surrounding the iPhone features, and another quarter of impressive subscriber growth, mobile video is rapidly becoming a significant new media distribution platform, concludes the report.

Greg Clayman, senior vice president, MTVN Mobile Media, says "... MTV Networks recognizes the vast opportunities at hand for the mobile industry, from the sheer number of handsets out there, to the limitless potential for innovation the technology provides... "

 In addition, the Telephia data shows that mobile video audiences are primed for seeing ads on their phones. Video consumers had the highest recall of viewing ads on their phones as compared to all data service consumers, with 55 percent saying they recalled viewing a mobile ad in the last 30 days. This is nearly three times the recall rate for mobile data consumers in general. Even more promising, forty-one percent of mobile video consumers recently responded in some way to an ad.

Kanishka Agarwal, vice president of mobile media, Telephia, said

"Consumers are used to seeing commercials on their TV at home, which has created a learned behavior that is transferring to mobile TV and making advertising more acceptable. Nearly half of mobile video users are willing to view ads on their phones in exchange for something... "

And, who's looking at the Apple iPhone website, according to Hitwise? US searches for the term "iphone" increased 583 percent in the four weeks ending June 23rd, leading up to the June 29 launch date.

For more information, please visit Telephia here.