PREDICTIONS are plentiful at this time of year, and some are clearly based on more evidence than others.
At some future point, it would be illuminating to look back at these New Year predictions and see who was on the mark.
Like many other sectors, the technology market is not short of analysis and estimates of future growth and trends.
We've just emerged from one of the busiest times of the year for the sale of mobile phones and operating packages. Millions of us are grappling with the complex functionality of new handsets, new features and new tariffs.
One notable absentee from the pre-Christmas blitz on our High Streets was Apple’s iconic iPhone.
That's about to change – and with iPhone’s availability on the Vodafone network the landscape of the UK mobile market will change, too.
Vodafone opted not to attempt to meet the anticipated pre-Christmas demand, preferring instead to build up supplies and finalise its pricing structure before launching it in the UK. Some time has also – hopefully – been spent training Vodafone's staff on the intricacies of the product they will be selling.
These super-sophisticated 3G handsets occupy the end of the market that mobile phone companies are keenest to dominate.
Innovative consumer marketing has become a hallmark of the mobile communications industry. There’s plenty of action behind the scenes, too.
Nokia, the world’s largest phone maker, ended 2009 by filing its new complaint with the US International Trade Commission.
The Finnish company alleges that Apple is using patented technologies to “create key features in its products”, including iPods and iPhones.
In October, Nokia sued Apple, saying that the iPhone infringed 10 of its patents.
However, the US firm recently countered by filing its own lawsuit against Nokia, saying the phone maker infringed 13 of its patents.
The stage appears set then for a tit-for-tat legal battle between these two heavyweights. The fall-out for consumers could be good.
One analyst is already predicting that smartphone sales will rise in 2010 as their average price will drop by 3% and shorter contracts will be available due to rise in demand. In addition, smartphones are expected to count for almost 19% of total mobile sales in 2010.
The market’s moving.
