NEW YORK -- March 6, 2003 -- TrendWatch Graphic Arts today released a special report focused entirely upon wireless technology and its potential impact upon the graphic arts industry. Recent research from In-Stat/MDR indicates that the wireless Internet market is expected to grow from the 74 million wireless subscribers in 2001 to more than 320 million by the end of 2006 (432% growth). Given this overwhelming growth in the way people are evolving their communication habits, TWGA began investigating where the opportunities lie for graphic arts professionals. The TrendWatch Graphic Arts "Wireless: Don't Overlook the Opportunity" report indicates now is the time to fully understand the impact wireless applications (such as wireless printing and wireless advertising) will have. The report is available for online purchase at the TWGA eStore in PDF format. For more information, go to the TWGA website: www.trendwatchgraphicarts.com Researcher's Quote... "Printers and graphic communication service providers need to know how wireless technology will impact our industry and whether we are ahead the curve or way behind it," notes Vince Naselli, Director, TrendWatch Graphic Arts. "The world is changing, and most suppliers are not 'up' on wireless technology. As print and media buyers begin to seek wireless communication options, many service providers will be left behind. As was the case with the Internet, wireless competency can't be adopted overnight. If the commercial printing industry wants to be relevant to its customer base in the wireless arena in one or two years, it has to start developing that competency - today!" According to the Report... -- 12% of Internet Design & Production respondents cited "design and production for wireless Internet formats" as a top challenge for their businesses -- this rose to 35% among e-commerce consultants; -- 14% of publishers see email campaigns as an opportunity, rising to 25% of catalogers; -- Only 2% of creative professionals plan to invest in wireless telecommunications; -- 15% of creative professionals, including 23% of advertising agencies, see "email campaign design and development" as an opportunity; -- Only 4% of Internet design and production respondents view designing for wireless PDAs as an opportunity, rising to 12% of e-commerce consultants; About the Report... The report documents the invasiveness of wireless technology into the corporate, small business, and consumer marketplaces, then builds on this foundation by looking at the potential relevance of wireless technology to the commercial printing industry. It contrasts the wireless industry data on the explosion of adoption of this technology with an extensive selection of TWGA data on adoption and potential adoption of wireless devices and wireless applications in the commercial printing industry. Furthermore, the report discusses three potential areas of impact from wireless on the commercial printing and graphic communication industry: -- Wireless use by suppliers, printers, and trade shops within companies as an internal productivity tool; -- Wireless use by suppliers, printers, and trade shops as a tool for handling customer jobs and communicating with their clients; -- Wireless' impact on the advertising industry, including cross-media applications, as wireless becomes an increasingly mainstream communications and advertising medium. Not only does this report serve as a wake-up call to the graphic arts industry, but it also serves as an excellent technology primer for those new to wireless technology. It asks intriguing questions and provides suggestions for how printers, trade shops, and vendors should respond to these challenges and the first steps they should take in this rapidly changing technological market. Methodology... This report was developed using proprietary data from the most recent TWGA Printing, Design & Production, Publishing, and Internet Design & Development surveys, as well as data from the TWGA Printing, Design & Production, Publishing, and Internet Design & Development historical databases. Secondary data was drawn from interviews by TWGA consultants and more than 1,000 pages of Internet research and industry resources. Additional data on the wireless market was drawn from some of the industry's top high-tech market research organizations, which have been surveying the wireless market since its inception. Availability... The 140-page TWGA "Wireless: Don't Overlook the Opportunity" report is available for purchase by visiting the secure TrendWatch Graphic Arts eStore online at www.trendwatchgraphicarts.com or by phone at 866-873-6310. The price for the report is $1595. TrendWatch Graphic Arts eStore customers can download this report in PDF Acrobat format immediately after purchase.