Global mobile commerce group identifies HTML5 cloud products and Android in-app as the hottest business opportunities in the mobile ecosystem

MOBILE WORLD CONGRESS, BARCELONA, 25th February 2013 - Android, HTML5 and cloud services will drive the global mobile entertainment market in 2013-2014, representing the key opportunities in the marketplace for carriers, internet merchants, content providers and ad-networks, which make up the Neomobile business ecosystem.

The leading mobile commerce company is on target to achieve an organic 25-30% additional growth in 2013, following a very successful four-year period when it recorded a +50% compound annual growth rate, with a peak of €250 million in total user transactions in 2012.

Strengthening the vision
Neomobile's focus is to market and distribute premium digital content and services to a broader range of mobile devices and screens, reaching more and more smartphones, tablets and soon smart TV users.

"We are the natural mobile internet monetizer for digital companies with compelling consumer products," explained Gianluca D'Agostino, Neomobile CEO. "Our company already works in partnership with carriers around the world to allow mobile users to choose carrier billing instead of OTT solutions when discovering and paying for apps, games, virtual goods and other mobile consumables."

Neomobile's strategy is to combine aggregation and delivery with targeted mobile advertising and easy one-click purchasing and payments, to create a single, inter-connected mobile content ecosystem.

This integrated content network allows partners to monetise mobile goods and assets quickly and efficiently through direct carrier billing. At the same time, it provides a convenient, intuitive and secure mobile commerce experience for end users.

Carrier billing cashes in
Neomobile picked out 2013 as the year when carrier billing comes into its own as the preferred global payment method for mobile apps, content and other digital assets.

"Carrier billing is already easily available to six billion people and it's the only electronic payment channel for the 1.7 billion people worldwide who own a mobile phone but don't possess a bank account," said D'Agostino. "As we've seen in Europe already, as more mobile consumers in emerging markets like India and Latin America swap their feature handsets for smartphones, we expect mobile content demand to surge - and the use of carrier billing to surge with it."

"The benefits of carrier billing versus other competing methods are already clear," he continued. "App stores with carrier billing enjoy a 5X boost in sale conversion rates, which in turn deliver higher pay-outs for developers. Neomobile will be at the forefront of the carrier billing trend in 2013. With agreements already in place with over 260 operators in 70 countries, we expect to announce more global deals with carriers in upcoming months."

HTML5 takes off on all devices; more global growth from Android
Neomobile also predicts an important year ahead for both cloud-based mobile services and HTML5. HTML5's flexibility allows Neomobile to capitalise on its mobile expertise and launch innovative new apps and services that run across the ever-expanding range of smartphones and other mobile devices on the market. Neomobile is set to launch several new HTML5-based apps and content services - including mobile games, video streaming, social networking, and infotainment - in its 11 core markets. Operators and service providers will use the cloud to deliver always-on, cross-device services and web apps created using HTML5.

"As the volume and choice of mobile devices increases, cloud-based services possess a valuable advantage versus native apps, in that they be can be accessed easily and seamlessly by consumers from any type of connected devices," concludes D'Agostino. "We believe that the era of the mobile download is now making way for a wave of cloud and streaming services that is set to widely disrupt the mobile video, music and gaming industries."

The broadening global uptake of Google, Samsung and HTC smartphones, all powered by Android OS, will be another key trend in 2013. Neomobile points to Google Play app store growth as evidence: its revenues grew by 200% in Q4 2012, compared to just 20% growth by the Apple App Store in the same quarter. Neomobile's own Android in-app payment solution enables developers to trigger payment via mobile carriers for premium features and is expected to boost new revenue streams.

Gianluca D'Agostino will be speaking at Mobile World Congress at 1430 CET on Wednesday February 27, in the conference panel session entitled "Back to the future: Mobile Innovation 2023" alongside leading technology companies and executives from Deloitte, Qualcomm and Telefonica Digital.

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About Neomobile
Neomobile is a global Mobile Commerce Group at the forefront of the new mobile ecosystem. Established in 2007, today Neomobile is a mobile entertainment leader in Europe, LatAm and India. Neomobile offers and markets a broad digital content suite to millions of consumers, downloadable or in the cloud, multi-screen (feature phones, PCs, tablets, TVs, smartphones), that is easy to discover and consume.

Neomobile reached a leadership position also in mobile payment, offering its Onebip solution and its mobile advertising know-how to web and mobile merchants in 70+ markets. With almost 300 experts in mobile, Neomobile is headquartered in Rome, and also has offices in London, Paris, Madrid, Milan, Reus, São Paulo, Beograd, Istanbul, Berlin, San Francisco, Ciudad De México and Mumbai.

For more information, visit www.neomobile.com and www.neomobile-blog.com. Twitter is @Neomobile_group

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