The future is created by a combination of technological development, consumer demand, and value chain priorities. In-Stat surveyed individuals from our Technology Adoption Panel to get a sense of where consumer sentiment is today. Very few users, less than 5%, do not use at least one of the technological innovations introduced in the past five years. The value chain, which consists of the manufacturer, a distributor, the wireless carrier, and, in about 25% of the respondents, the employer of the end-user, needs an ongoing stream of innovation, as well as consumers who are open to new features.

The big trends over the next five years include the following: Growth in the Use of Defined Application Platforms as both SmartPhones and platforms for feature phones; Greater Company Involvement in Wireless as needs expand to incorporate applications in addition to voice; Adoption of Wireless Phones as a Mobile Wallet; More Automated Worldwide Searches of the Worldwide Web using voice activated searches and better input technology; Beefier Security on phones; MVNOs will drive demand for Specialized Phones; and Individuals Will Own Multiple Phones.