The demand for green handsets will grow to 485 million units within the next 5 years, this is according to a new analysis released by Juniper Research.
The analysis sites the continuous carbon emissions as the main driver for the growth. According to Juniper an average mobile user is responsible for around 25kg of CO2 per annum at the end of 2008.
The scenario-based forecasts 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.”
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 take-back targets
• Eco-applications offer 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
