Shebang Logistics Solutions managing director Joe Bennett sees the last remaining box shifters disappearing, but the industry will receive a boost from growth in mobile accessories and mobile payments
“2012 is likely to be a difficult year for the UK and as such is likely to create tough trading conditions across all areas of the mobile industry.
“Businesses that are relying on slim margins and business plans based on ‘box shifting’ are likely to come unstuck. I predict at least two of the smaller domestic-only players will find themselves having tea with administrators before the winter.
“The situation will not be bleak for all areas of the telecoms market however. The mobile accessories channel and the mobile payments arena will boost telecoms throughout the year and will achieve significant growth.
“Mobile accessories have for many years been associated with dreadful Bluetooth headsets. Thankfully this changed in 2011, and it seems that Bluetooth headsets of that ilk are in sharp decline. This downward trend will continue in 2012.
“Mobile accessories have found a much more fashionable way of gaining recognition in the market: by protecting the ever more popular smartphones we are all buying in our droves.
“It is thanks to the iPhone that smartphones now have value for consumers, and with two-year contracts as standard, consumers want to prevent their devices being damaged.”