The convenience of communication on the go led millions of American consumers to adopt mobile phones, and as these devices have gained power and features they are playing an increasingly important role in people’s lives. Cellphone ownership has now reached 92% in the U.S. according to Experian Simmons data, a large number of consumers are adopting multipurpose smartphones and a growing number are relying heavily on phones as their primary way to make calls and even connect to the web.

These trends have helped fuel continued growth in the $39.5 billion mobile phone industry. The industry is extremely competitive, with a number of well-funded global players fighting for dominance. Maintaining a leading position is further challenged by the rapid upgrade cycle seen in the U.S.—where consumers have grown accustomed to swapping out phones quite quickly thanks to carrier subsidies—as well as a complex ecosystem where manufacturers must partner with carriers, software platform companies and even app developers to create successful offerings.

Mintel’s report will help companies navigate the many changing trends and drivers impacting the mobile phone market, discussing the following issues among others:

What factors are driving industry growth given near-universal penetration of mobile phones today?

What technologies and features are encouraging consumers to make upgrades and move to smartphones?

How is the changing carrier landscape impacting the mobile phone market?

How can manufacturers establish their own relationship with consumers given that carriers control much of their ongoing engagement and also typically drive the upgrade cycle?

What opportunities remain for manufacturers to upsell consumers to smartphones?

Are any opportunities still available for manufacturers to convert new customers?

What are consumers using phones for today?

How important are basic calling features today, and how much are consumers using advanced features like multimedia playback, app downloads and 3D?