Green handset shipments could reach 500 million units globally within five years

Hampshire, UK – 17th September 2009: According to new analysis from Juniper Research, consumer demand for environmentally sustainable mobile devices will be the primary driver behind the growth of green handsets, which could see global shipments grow to 485 million units by 2014.

The scenario-based forecasts within Juniper Research's new report - 'Green Mobile Handsets & Applications: Strategies, Scenarios & Forecasts 2009-2014' -  also suggest that even with an incremental attitude shift by consumers, numbers will still grow from a quarter of million shipments in 2009 to over 105 million by 2014.

Dr. Windsor Holden, Principal Analyst at Juniper Research and lead author for the report, commented; "With manufacturers only now beginning to introduce green handsets, shipment volumes are relatively low in all cases. Moving forward, we should not expect to see production lines of completely 'green' phones, but a gradual move to introducing green elements throughout devices."

The average mobile user is responsible for around 25kg of CO2 emissions per year, a collective total of 93Mt (Megatonnes) of CO2 globally at the end of 2008. With a number of challenges facing vendors and operators, such as the Kyoto Protocol, a concerted effort is required by companies across the industry to reduce these average emissions by a far greater extent over the next five years.

Further findings from the Juniper Research Green Handsets report includes:
•    Network operators and handset vendors should increase their promotion of handset take-back initiatives, and increase their take-back targets
•    Eco-applications offer the potential for the mobile industry to reduce CO2 emissions above and beyond its own direct and indirect emissions by exerting a positive influence on consumer behaviour

The report, launched globally today, contains comprehensive six year forecasting for all the key market parameters including maintaining stable CO2 footprints, electricity costs, no-load CO2 emissions and recycled/refurbished handsets.

Green Handsets whitepaper and further details of the study, 'Green Mobile Handsets & Applications: Strategies, Scenarios & Forecasts 2009-2014' can be freely downloaded from the Juniper website.

ENDS

About Juniper Research
Juniper Research (www.juniperresearch.com) provides research and analytical services to the global hi-tech communications sector, providing consultancy, analyst reports and industry commentary.

For media enquiries, please contact:
David Ross-Tomlin
Diffusion Mobile
T: +44 (0) 207 025 1505
E: david@diffusion-mobile.com

For further information on the report, please contact:
John Levett
Juniper Research
T: +44(0)1256 830 002
E: john.levett@juniperresearch.com