Forget the IP phone, here comes the media phone

Stuart Corner
Friday, 13 February 2009 04:12

IT Industry - Market

There will be 31 million voice-centric IP phones in businesses around the world by 2013, according to market researcher In-Stat, but less than a tenth of this number in households were anew device category, the media phone, is fast emerging.

"The nascent consumer market for voice-centric IP phones is being subjugated by the introduction of IP media phones, such as the Verizon Hub and AT&T HomeManager that support both IP communications, as well as delivery of Internet information and multimedia content," In-Stat claims.

It has explained its reasoning in a free research report The Media Phone Has Arrived! In the paper, In-Stat claims that "The media phone represents a new category of broadband multimedia device that has the potential to become the fourth screen in the home, complementing the PC, TV, and mobile handset. The media phone delivers direct access to Internet-based entertainment and applications using a large (15-25cm) colour touchscreen display with a high-quality speakerphone."

The media phone will "combine the power of a PC with the always-on functionality of the home telephone," In-Stat says, and most units will be configured with one or more cordless DECT voice handsets, suitable for any room in the home.

This however, is just the beginning. "Over time, media phones will be integrated with next-generation network services that employ user profiles, presence-enabled applications, unified messaging and potentially integrated fixed/mobile services," In-Stat predicts.

Beyond that, the media phone may support integrated network and web services. In-Stat expects cable operators, mobile operators, and over-the-top Internet application providers to link media phones with new broadband-based services, and to subsidise a major portion of media phone costs in order to drive uptake.

Media phones for business also
More specialised media phones will also emerge in the business market replacing the current middle and high-end IP telephones and supporting multimedia applications that require the always-on, high-performance operation delivered by desktop telephones. In-Stat cites OpenPeak's ProFrame business media phone introduced in January 2009 as one of th first products in this category.

In-Stat's 51 page report contains numerous forecasts for uptake of various types of devices in various markets and details of current products. It concludes with a enthusiastic appraisal "After covering so many new products and technologies that fail to live up to their hype, it is refreshing to find a product that delivers value, yet has largely gone unnoticed.

"In-Stat research over the past two years has confirmed that consumers demand convenience and ease-of-use, most of all. Consumers love the idea of integrating fixed and mobile services, thereby eliminating multiple address books and voicemail boxes. They love it so much, that they will actually pay extra to get it!"

And for those who think the mobile phone wil become everybody's favourite all-embracing communications device, in-Stat has another view "When asked if they prefer to use only mobile handsets, [consumers;] answer is a resounding 'No'. The missing link has been a device that can simplify access to daily broadband content, as well as enable innovative next-generation communication services. The media phone is such a device."