With the imminent launch of its 3G iPhone, Apple has an opportunity to have a significant impact on the mobile TV market, according to a new research report from Analysys Mason.

Speaking ahead of Apple CEO Steve Jobs' keynote at the annual Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC) in San Francisco on 9 June, the telecoms analyst believes that in the speculation about what next to expect from Apple's soon to be announced 3G iPhone, Apple could put a firm stake in the ground for the advancement of mobile TV and video.

"The iPhone could become the mobile video delivery device of choice for many consumers, by providing a compelling mobile TV and video proposition before mobile broadcasting networks, such as DVB-H become widely available", says Mark Heath, co-author of the new Analysys Mason report ‘iPhone Shows the Way for Mobile TV'.

The analyst feels that many operators are offering mobile TV services, using 3G streaming, but these are constrained by lack of coverage, relatively poor quality of service and 3G capacity limitations, as it feels 3G networks may only support relatively low penetrations of mobile TV users.

Analysys Mason adds that market research shows that many iPhone owners have accessed TV and video content, with greater frequency than subscribers using other types of mobile handsets.

With added 3G capability, the iPhone will should bring attractive attributes to the mobile TV market such as video-friendly specifications, including high-quality widescreen display, substantial internal memory and low battery consumption; access to a rapidly increasing range of TV and video content provided by Apple or specifically optimised for the iPhone; thee ability to support multiple methods of delivering TV and video content, including sideloading, indoor WLAN and high-speed 3G cellular data access.

As Apple moves away from these restrictive distribution strategies, Analysys Mason says that there could be substantial growth in the number of iPhones sold. "If the iPhone is able to achieve significant worldwide market share, it will be well-positioned to have a significant impact on the way mobile subscribers purchase and watch mobile TV and video content," adds Dr Alastair Brydon, co-author of the report.