According to a new research report by Berg Insight, mobile location-based service (LBS) revenues in Europe are estimated to increase from Euro 325 million in 2012 to Euro 825 million in 2017.
Further, the North American LBS market is forecasted to increase from $835 million in 2012 to $ 1,295 million in 2017. Berg Insight estimates that 40 per cent of all mobile subscribers in Europe are using some kind of location-enhanced application on a regular basis. In North America, the larger installed base of GPS-enabled handsets and smartphones has enabled higher uptake of LBS. About 50 per cent of all mobile subscribers in the region now access LBS at least monthly. Local search, social networking and navigation services are the top application categories in terms of number of active users. Mobile workforce management services that aim to improve operational efficiency for businesses are also gaining traction in new industry segments.
As per the research firm, worldwide the operators’ central role in the LBS ecosystem is now being challenged by the smartphone ecosystems. These players bundle key LBS and provide developers access to location data and distribution channels in the form of on-device application stores. Mobile operators are therefore focusing on offering network-based bulk location data for advertising and analytics, as well as new services such as secure authentication and fraud management.
