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# Another Study Predicts Cloud Music To Boom
- URL: https://www.hypebot.com/another-study-predicts-cloud-music-to-boom/
- Published: 2011-03-29T12:05:00.000Z
- Updated: 2011-03-29T12:05:00.000Z
- Description: Earlier this month, ABI Research predicted that cloud music to boom in the next five years, reaching a subscriber of 161 million by 2016. They believed that smartphone penetration, a. Continue reading [https://www.hypebot.com/hypebot/2011/03/another-study-predicts-cloud-music-to-boom.html]
- Author: admin
- Tags: Streaming, #wp, #wp-post, #Import 2026-01-21 10:59

[![Seth_boom](http://hypebot.typepad.com/.a/6a00d83451b36c69e2014e60309b7d970c-150wi "Seth_boom")](http://hypebot.typepad.com/.a/6a00d83451b36c69e2014e60309b7d970c-pi?ref=hypebot.com) Earlier this month, ABI Research [predicted that](https://www.hypebot.com/cloud-music-expected-to-boom-in-next-five-years/) cloud music to boom in the next five years, reaching a subscriber of 161 million by 2016\. They believed that smartphone penetration, a lowering in price, and an emerging Asia-Pacific market would give services like Spotify and Rhapsody a boost. Now, Juniper Research is saying similar things; they suspect that subscribers will reach 178 million by 2015, due to an increased 3G Access, i.e. smartphone penetration in China and India, also known as the emerging Asia-Pacific market. According to the study's author Daniel Ashdown, "markets where a combination of a large population, rising mobile subscriber penetration, and developing economies that represent a golden opportunity for mobile music services." By 2015, Ashdown believes that mobile music will become a $5.5 billion industry. As Hypebot has said before, increased mobile access and a lowering of price does not guarantee a boom, and even if it does occur, its sustainability depends on elements – like the balance of effortlessness and investment and increased awareness of cloud-based services – that **haven't even been figured out yet**.There's no signs that the record industry can handle a boom of this magnitude either, because it could [topple their iceberg](https://www.hypebot.com/streaming-may-topple-music-industry-iceberg/) and erode profitability before they're ready to watch CDs and digital downloads decline. Musicans also lose, [if not prepared](https://www.hypebot.com/if-cloud-music-booms-do-musicians-lose/). The fact is that [convenience devalues](http://www.musicthinktank.com/blog/how-does-effort-impact-music-value.html?ref=hypebot.com) culture and [access impedes ownership](http://www.musicthinktank.com/blog/the-hidden-challenges-of-subscription-music.html?ref=hypebot.com). Spotify and Rhapsody are only great for artists and the industry if done correctly, yet consumers will have music streams their way regardless.**Juniper Research**:  
Subscribers – 178 million by 2015  
Emerging Markets – China and India  
3G Access Boom **ABI Research**:   
Subscribers – 161 million by 2016  
Emerging Markets – Asia-Pacific  
3G Access Boom