SAN FRANCISCO-A study from Visiongain predicted it will take a major virus attack for mobile operators and handset companies to realize the potential market for anti-virus protection for mobile devices and to begin offering such services on a more widespread basis.
Worldwide spending on mobile virus protection is expected to increase from $723 million last year to $12.16 billion in 2007, according to the report.
“Already we have seen some minor viruses start to attack handsets, such as Lasco.A,” said Jean Pierre Aubertin, the report’s author. “But to date nothing has affected the industry on a major scale. We believe it is only a matter of time before a more serious virus targeted at smart phones strikes.”
The study, which analyzes the propagation of mobile virus and the countermeasures available, is titled “Mobile Anti-Virus Market 2005-2010: Understanding the threat of potential attacks.”