The Bluetooth Handset Market

The number of mobile handsets in circulation world wide is staggering (over 261m subscribers in the US and 74m in the UK alone). Though many emerging countries demand
low cost, limited functionality handsets the developed world is purchasing new handsets with rich functionality at an incredible rate.

The annual number of new mobile phones shipped, which were Bluetooth-enabled surpassed the 500 million unit mark for the first time in 2007 and According to the IMS Research report, “The Worldwide Market for Bluetooth”, global Bluetooth attachment rates for mobile phones are at 46.7% in 2007, up from 40% in 2006. This figure includes regional attach rates for the Americas, EMEA and Asia at 46.4%, 51.2% and 42.7%, respectively.

Notably high, the percentage of mobile phones with Bluetooth technology in North America and Western Europe has reached over 60% and 70% respectively for the first time ever.

Mobile phones enabled with Bluetooth technology are becoming a burgeoning market, as In-Stat market research projects that by 2009 more than 66 percent of the 900 million new mobile phone handsets sold that year will include Bluetooth technology. In addition the total Bluetooth market will grow at a compound annual rate of over 40% between 2008 and 2011, and equipment shipments (including accessories) are expected to break the 1 billion mark by 2009. Source ABI.