Will the Music Cellphones Sweeping Japan Play in the U.S.?
Japan’s successful music-cellphone formula may not be a hit in the U.S. due to a variety of factors, including cheaper American music downloads and more advanced Japanese cellular networks, reports the WSJ, in article which compares the two markets. “The revenue from the music sold over mobile phones — from simple ringtones to full songs — accounts for about 20% of Japan’s total music market, says consulting firm Bain & Co. Though full-song cellular downloads started here less than a year ago, analysts estimate that revenue from them will hit $449 million in 2005. The cellphone-music market in Japan has already surpassed the market for music downloaded using a PC, which is often for later use on a digital music player. In the first six months of 2005, total revenue from PC-based music downloading was just $4.8 million, compared with $122.1 million for music — not including ringtones — downloaded to cellphones, according to the Recording Industry Association of Japan. … In the U.S
