Forecast: Mobile handset sales to drop by 7% in Japan in 2008

Market research firm M-report predicts mobile handset shipments in Japan will decrease by 7.2% falling below the 46 million units in 2008. While in 2007, Japan’s mobile phone market registered a 5.2% growth over the previous year, stopping short of 50 million mark at 49.55 millions, the year of 2008 promises to be a tough year because of recent handset subsidy regulations and global economic gloom. Other interesting facts from M-report’s press release include the following:

• Japan market witnessed the launch of 140 mobile phone models in 2007
• 99% of phones shipped in 2007 were 3G devices, up 10.6% YoY
• One percent of phones shipped in 2007 were 2G devices, down 89.3% YoY
• 45% of phones shipped in 2007 were mobile broadcasting TV (one seg) enabled devices

Source: M-Report