Mobile Tariffs Bundled with Music Drive Mobile Music Usage says Strategy Analytics

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"Mobile operators and handset manufacturers have a significant role to play in enabling the music industry to grow revenue through access to music that is bundled into customers' phone tariffs, or into the price of the phone," noted Nitesh Patel , Director of Wireless Media Strategies, at Strategy Analytics. "Fast growing streaming digital music services such as Spotify, Deezer and Rhapsody have all benefited from bundling their music services into mobile tariffs, while operators can differentiate tariffs from competitors and improve customer loyalty. Furthermore, 29% of surveyed consumers identified their mobile phone brand in the top three preferred music service providers compared to 23% identifying their mobile operator."

Currently 77% of consumers claim to listen to music on their phone with over two thirds (70%) claiming to do so at least once per week or more. Notably, a significant proportion of older age groups also listen to music on their phone, with 52% of consumers 55 years old and above listening to music on their phone, and almost 60% doing so once per week or more.

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"The survey results underline the extent to which mobile phones are substituting dedicated portable music playing devices as the preferred device for listening to music while on the move," says , Executive Director of Apps & Media at Strategy Analytics. "Key players in the music industry cannot afford to neglect this trend, particularly among older age segments which clearly see the value of converging music access and communications into the mobile form factor."

Side-loading music from a personal computer remains the most popular method for getting music onto handsets, despite increased 4G network speeds and the growing pervasiveness of WiFi. Almost 62% of consumers use this method to transfer music to their phone. Side-loading was followed by streaming music via an application and then streaming from the web.

Strategy Analytics, Inc. provides the competitive edge with advisory services, consulting and actionable market intelligence for emerging technology, mobile and wireless, digital consumer and automotive electronics companies. With offices in North America , Europe and Asia , Strategy Analytics delivers insights for enterprise success. www.StrategyAnalytics.com 

European Contact: Nitesh Patel , +44-(0)-1908-423-621, npatel@strategyanalytics.com
US Contact: David Kerr , +1-617-614-0720, dkerr@strategyanalytics.com