Security client software market up: Infonetics

CAMPBELL,USA: Market research firm Infonetics Research this week released the first edition of its 2010 biannual Security Client Software market size, market share, and forecast report.

ANALYST NOTE

"Though 2009 was a hard year for all forms of IT spending, PC shipments defied gravity and smartphones continued to fly off the shelf. Combined with the very successful launch of Windows 7 and the continuing development of an incredibly hostile threat environment, client security revenue increased almost 10 per cent in 2009. The mobile security client market is particularly hot: as a percent of the total market, mobile security client revenue remains fairly small through 2010, but grows significantly by 2014, when it reaches 25 per cent of the total market," notes Jeff Wilson, principal analyst for security at Infonetics Research.

HIGHLIGHTS

- Combined revenue for desktop and mobile security client software topped $958 million in the fourth quarter in 2009

- The mobile security client software segment is forecast by Infonetics to grow at an astounding 50 per cent compound annual growth rate (CAGR) from 2009 to 2014

- Consumer-focused desktop client security solutions make up the largest segment of the client security software market, but are the slowest growing

- A growth spike is expected in 2010 for the desktop security client software segment, driven by both enterprises and consumers looking to protect against the harshening threat landscape, especially Web-based threats and threats distributed through popular social networking sites like MySpace, Facebook, and Twitter

- Symantec continues to lead in the overall desktop client market in 4Q09 and 2009, followed by McAfee and Kaspersky