Infonetics Research's "Mobile Video Devices, Services, and Subscribers" report published May 9, 2007 found that revenue from mobile video is set to increase.
The firm estimated that service provider revenue from mobile video services is expected to triple to nearly $ 200 million worldwide in 2007, after already growing 317% from 2005-2006.
The number of paying subscribers worldwide for 2010 was projected by Infonetics to reach 46 million.
Mobile video involves shuttling video content from a server to an individual handset on demand. Mobile TV works more like broadcast television, with TV tuners embedded in mobile phones.
A separate study by Screen Digest focusing on mobile TV estimated that associated revenues for that technology would reach Eur4.7 billion, based on 140 million subscribers worldwide in 2011.
David MacQueen of Screen Digest said that there are good reasons why carriers will focus on mobile TV over the next several years.
"Regulatory and competitive pressures have pushed down the average consumer spend on voice and messaging," said Mr. MacQueen. "Mobile operators must now look to new content offerings to deliver the business growth they've enjoyed over the past decade."
eMarketer's own estimates are more optimistic for mobile video and more conservative for mobile TV subscribership.
eMarketer Senior Analyst John du Pre Gauntt says that it is still early days for mobile TV and video, which accounts for the disparity in estimates from different firms.
"Many of the hard questions that need asking with regards to rights management, revenue sharing and marketing to the consumer must be tackled definitively if the opportunity is to scale above the experimental phase into full deployment.
"These are the types of developments that should be tracked closely by advertisers and marketers considering mobile TV and mobile video plays," says Mr. Gauntt.
Learn more about marketing on mobile. Read eMarketer's Mobile TV and Video: Big Dreams for the Smallest Screen report.