With the mobile phone market reaching saturation around the world, spare a thought for the cordless phone. Once it was the only device that let us experience wireless conversations – but now the market is showing a marked decline.
New data from ABI Research says the world's cordless phone market will be 17% smaller in four years' time; worth $4.3 billion (£2.7 million). That's almost a $1 billion drop in value from last year's figures, despite the introduction of handsets with improved call quality, digital security, colour displays and broadband-friendly features.
The mobile phone is to blame. ABI practice director Jason Blackwell says "In developed nations a growing number of people are dropping their fixed phone lines altogether in favor of mobile-only services. And in many developing regions, telcos and users are jumping straight to mobile networks without ever deploying fixed-line infrastructure."