AfterTek

Mobile television will be a product for global masses in 2008, according to Sweden’s LM Ericsson. According to media reports, Per Nordlof, Ericsson’s director of Product Strategy said at a joint press briefing with Sony in Stockholm that in 2008 about one third of the world’s mobile phone users will regularly be watching TV broadcasts on their handsets.

Ericcson and Sony will work together to develop software to link their products through wireless networks and to cash in on the expected boom for mobile TV. During the press conference, Ericsson and Sony demonstrated a series of solutions based on the Digital Living Network Alliance standard. Thanks to these solutions, friends and family could share film footage and pictures between a handset and a regular television at the press of a button.

Nordlof went on to say that he expects similar appliances and applications to hit markets as early as late 2007. Ericsson also announced a contract with Belgian phone operator Proximus to provide an end-to-end solution for mobile TV broadcasts. According to a study released by research company IDG last month, users of mobile phones will snap up a record 1 billion mobile phones this year.

According to the study mature markets are also experiencing strong demand for replacement handsets as consumers opt for new features such as music phones and email-enabled devices. The report said that a record total of 254.6 million cellphones were sold in the third quarter and predicted an even stronger holiday season with cellphones appearing high on people’s wish lists.