MOUNTAIN VIEW, California, Dec. 17, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- As smartphones emerge as the primary device for both content consumption and content creation, the need to protect, support, manage, and optimize the overall mobile experience has become increasingly important to consumers. In order to address this market reality, leading carriers are moving from simply offering handset insurance to providing comprehensive, integrated mobile support & protection plans that include handset protection, data protection, and premium technical and application support.
New analysis from Frost & Sullivan, The Global Need for Mobile Support and Protection Services: From Handset Protection to Mobile Technology Support and Beyond, finds that global smartphone penetration among mobile phone users will exceed 80 percent by 2020. The analysis discusses the critical need for mobile support and protection services in the global mobile and wireless market, and demonstrates the forces driving the expansion of the traditional handset protection (i.e., phone insurance) category to comprehensive mobile support and protection solutions. The insight outlines the important benefits of mobile support and protection for consumers and carriers throughout the world.
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"The evolution from basic feature phones to smartphones has been nothing short of phenomenal. The emerging middle class in developing markets has led to a shift in consumer spending towards more advanced smartphones and other 'connected' consumer electronic devices," said Brent Iadarola, Frost & Sullivan Mobile & Wireless Research Director. "While handset protection programs can help consumers get a replacement device quickly in the event of device loss, theft, malfunction, or damage; current global market realities point to the need for enhanced mobile support and protection solutions that offer much more than simply device replacement."
Unlike many traditional computing devices, such as personal computers, smartphones are not stay-at-home devices. They are used in virtually all types of environments, which may lead to a variety of new risks that were never considered with earlier technologies. Frost & Sullivan's research indicates that today's mobile support and protection must be comprehensive and integrated to include Mobile Handset Protection, Mobile Device Support, Mobile Data Protection, and Mobile Application Support.
The global proliferation of higher priced smartphones and correlating threats to both devices and content has led to a surge in the awareness and popularity of mobile protection services. Today's support experience for the consumer, regardless of their global location, is too often a highly fragmented journey resulting in long wait times, phone transfers and frustration. Providing a single support solution to help smartphone owners with device usage-related queries is clearly an opportunity for mobile and wireless ecosystem participants.
"Wireless carriers are increasingly recognizing that enhanced mobile support and protection programs are an effective way to increase ARPU, reduce churn, and improve customer loyalty," noted Iadarola. "One of the ways in which carriers can efficiently enable the gamut of mobile support and protection requirements is by partnering with specialized providers that integrate the key components into a comprehensive offering."
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The Global Need for Mobile Support and Protection Services: From Handset Protection to Mobile Technology Support and Beyond
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