Researchers at The Kelsey Group have published a forecast that anticipates mobile search advertising revenue in Western Europe growing from 39 million Euro last year to 2.3 billion Euro – almost £2 billion - in 2013. That’s growth equivalent to 125% a year. Most of this money will come from people looking for local information; revenue for the local segment of mobile search will grow to 1.4 billion Euros in 2013.
The company also says the number of smartphones in Western Europe will grow at 35.7% per year during the forecast period, from 32 million in 2008 to 149 million in 2013. [Press release]