PORT WASHINGTON, N.Y.—Carriers may not be earning the additional revenue they expected from the popularity of camera phones, according to new research from The NPD Group Inc.
In less than four years, camera phones have found their way into the pockets and purses of more than half of all mobile subscribers in the United States, and most of those customers say they are satisfied with their camera phone purchase, said the report.
“When these devices were first introduced, carriers expected to earn additional revenue from subscribers who chose to take, share and print photos,” said Neil Strother, research director for mobile devices at The NPD Group. “But for the most part that hasn’t happened. Instead, we’ve seen consumers simply taking photos and leaving them on their phones, which obviously doesn’t enhance carriers’ balance sheets.”
The NPD Group said its research indicates only one-fifth of consumers send photos wirelessly, with the rest leaving their photos on their phones. The firm said education could be key for carriers to prompt more photo sharing, as 60 percent of camera phone users say they are less likely to send a picture message because they don’t know how much it will cost.
