MEF unveils mobile predictions for 2013

Happy New Year from MEF Blog! MEF has kicked things off for us in 2013 by unveiling its mobile predictions for the year ahead. Leveraging the collective wisdom of its global board members and insights from the 2012 Global Consumer Survey, MEF has come up with 10 key mobile trends to watch for in 2013, including the growth of convenience as a key driver, Trust as a critical asset and the role of big data.

Andrew Bud, MEF Global Chair, said: ”2012 saw continued expansion and diversification of the mobile content and commerce industry, particularly in growth markets such as Africa and Latin America. In late 2012 MEF launched the findings of our Global Consumer Survey, which highlighted that 88 per cent of the world’s mobile media users now regularly engage in mobile content and commerce. Looking ahead into 2013, all indicators point to another year of global growth across the mobile ecosystem. At the same time, disruption and market challenges, particularly around issues of Consumer Trust, will continue to test our industry’s resolve and agility.”

Continue reading below for the list of predictions, and head over to the MEF website for the full story.

The 2013 Predictions in full:

• Convenience becomes paramount: convenience will exceed entertainment as the primary mobile content and commerce driver globally.  
• Shift in Payments: operator billing will be overtaken by other mobile payment systems in developed markets.  
• Big Data will drive mobile engagement: widespread rollout of personalised recommendations and alerts based on context and behavioural data enabled by mobile.
• Trust as a critical asset: consumer trust around privacy and data collection will become a critical asset for apps and brands in 2013.  
• Usage Convergence: The dividing line between consumer and enterprise-focused services will melt, transforming the way companies use mobile.  
• Growth in health and education services: 2013 will see a significant uptake in the use of health and education services, based on interactive mobile content and device penetration. Growth markets will drive this but also developed markets will complement and develop existing systems.  
• Crowd-sourcing of mobile content: mass-curation of content, such as large-scale photo integration enabling crowd-sourcing of public events imagery, will emerge as a defining mobile apps category, but will experience scaling issues, including transparency and privacy concerns.  
• The March of Multi-Screens: In 2013 much of the mobile ecosystem’s energy will target the integration of multiple connected screens, such as TV companion services, to deliver a consistent and complimentary experience across every connected device.
• Third mobile ecosystems: Windows Phone 8, Firefox OS and BlackBerry 10 will make progress globally, especially in growth markets.
• China is coming: Chinese mobile content and commerce vendors will expand into global markets, but will struggle with the complexities of mobile ecosystems and IPR.