Growth of Voice, Local Search Challenge Google's Dominance in Mobile Search, Pyramid Finds

CAMBRIDGE, Mass., March 10, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Although Google has a strong position in mobile search, it is unclear if the search giant will be as dominant as it is on the desktop because of several important trends, notably voice and local search, according to a new report from Pyramid Research (www.pyr.com).

Mobile Search: Growth of Voice & Local Search Challenge Google's Dominance provides an overview of the mobile search market that puts it into the context of digital advertising, mobile communications and search in general. Pyramid looks at different trends and developments, and examines the different value chains and highlights the positioning of key industry participants. Market size and forecasts are also provided at a global and regional level, with some additional breakdowns such as messaging and local search.

Download an excerpt: http://www.pyramidresearch.com/downloads.htm?id=1&sc=PRN031011_RPMS

Purchase the report: http://www.pyramidresearch.com/store/RPMOBILESEARCH.htm?sc=PRN031011_RPMS

The smartphone boom is creating increasing demand for mobile Internet services, and search is becoming an important method of finding information on this platform. "Today it is a dynamic, growing opportunity. Total mobile search revenue will reach $8 billion in 2015, equivalent to around 11 percent of total search revenues and representing a CAGR of 55 percent," according to Jan ten Sythoff, Analyst at large at Pyramid. "Mobile search makes up around a quarter of total mobile advertising revenue, but this will increase rapidly and is forecast to exceed 40 percent in 2015," he indicates.

Although Google already has a strong position in the mobile advertising market, a range of established and new players are challenging its dominance. "The combination of mobile and location is a powerful one, and is particularly relevant for search. It is an effective way for users to find places of interest, products and services nearby, thus offering a rich opportunity for advertising," says ten Sythoff. "As a result, there is much interest in taking a share of local advertising spending, which is dominated by business listings, directories such as YellowPages and print. Competition is intensifying as companies from different industries are drawn into it," he adds.

"Adoption of voice search is increasing rapidly, and because of its ease of use and ready accessibility on home screens and hard keys, it will be an important driver in increasing the number of searches conducted on a mobile," he notes. While voice is becoming an important trend driving mobile search, language differences are likely to benefit local or first movers in different regions. The development of voice recognition into a personal digital assistant offers new opportunities and is being integrated into platforms and devices.

Mobile Search: Growth of Voice & Local Search Challenge Google's Dominance is part of Pyramid's research report series. Download an excerpt here: http://www.pyramidresearch.com/downloads.htm?id=1&sc=PRN031011_RPMS.  You may also purchase the report online here http://www.pyramidresearch.com/store/RPMOBILESEARCH.htm?sc=PRN031011_RPMS or by emailing us at [email protected].

Contact:  Jennifer Baker, +1-617-871-1910, [email protected]

SOURCE Pyramid Research