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Can the imminent 3G iPhone really make a significant impact on the mobile TV market? The folks over at Analasys Mason sure believe it can, according to their report, “iPhone Shows the Way for Mobile TV.” Mark Heath, co-author of the report, states, “The iPhone could become the mobile video delivery device of choice for many consumers, by providing a compelling mobile TV and video proposition before mobile broadcasting networks, such as DVB-H, become widely available.”

Imagine that…an Apple product becoming the “device of choice for many consumers.”

The report offers some logical reasoning to back-up their analysis:

Many operators are offering mobile TV services, using 3G streaming, but these are constrained by lack of coverage, relatively poor quality of service and 3G capacity limitations (as 3G networks may only support relatively low penetrations of mobile TV users).

Market research shows that many iPhone owners have accessed TV and video content, with greater frequency than subscribers using other types of mobile handsets. With added 3G capability, the iPhone will bring the following highly attractive attributes to the mobile TV market.

• Video-friendly specifications, including high-quality widescreen display, substantial internal memory and low battery consumption.
• Access to a rapidly increasing range of TV and video content provided by Apple or specifically optimised for the iPhone. By May 2008, the iTunes Store had a catalogue of 600 TV programmes and over 1500 films and, by April 2008, Apple iTunes had sold 125 million TV programmes.
• The ability to support multiple methods of delivering TV and video content, including sideloading, indoor WLAN and high-speed 3G cellular data access. Sideloading and indoor WLAN minimises the amount of TV and video traffic that needs to be carried on 3G networks, allowing 3G operators to support high rates of mobile TV penetration.

The report goes on to say that the relatively modest sales of the iPhone are due largely to Apple’s own restrictive policies (constraining worldwide availability and launching with one exclusive carrier in each market), and that substantial sales growth could occur as Apple moves away from these policies. How this all plays out will come into better focus after the WWDC keynote speech on Monday, so be sure to join us at Appletell for live coverage of the event starting at 10:00 a.m. PST.

Via [webitpr]