As Mobile Devices Pass One Billion Mark, Disruption Continues

The number of mobile handsets worldwide passed the one billion mark in 2006, continuing the wave of disruption that they have been generating for the past decade. Among the more significant development, shipments to developing economies in Eastern Europe, the Middle East, Africa and Latin America are overtaking those to the more mature markets -- promising change in social and business patterns in those areas of the world.

In developed markets, multimedia phones that allow users to listen to music and watch video are gaining market share as costs fall and exciting new models such as Apple's iPhone hit the shelves. These, of course, offer disruptive properties of their own -- especially to the entertainment industry -- as communities of users connected via Bluetooth have the potential to download and swap music and other files.

Source: MIT Technology Review