In Screen Digest's latest report called "Mobile music, the end of the beginning: market assessment and forecasts," the media analyst said the introduction of affordable subscription models such as Vodafone's MusicStation in the UK will lead to a marked rise in the uptake of mobile music services.
Some are bundling this with voice packages, others are offering it via handsets, and others still are offering cheap over-the-air downloads. Bundles already available to consumers make music 'free' at the point of delivery.
The rise of these offers prompts Screen Digest to forecast that by 2012, full track music and video mobile subscription service revenues will be worth €928 million ($1.2 billion), almost double that of a la carte full track and video revenues of €508 million ($657 million).