Digital cameras will be among a billion consumer electronics devices that will be connected to mobile broadband networks by 2016, a new study claims. A report from the UMTS Forum, an industry group aimed at promoting mobile broadband evolution, argues that consumer electronics device connectivity will outstrip overall wireless market growth in the next five years.

The group claims the trend is already emerging by the rise of e-Book readers and satnav devices that access cellular data networks. ”The collision between mobile broadband networks and connected devices – from digital cameras to personal health monitors – will see by our own estimation as many as a billion additional connections by 2016,” said UMTS Forum Chairman Jean-Pierre Bienaimé.

He added that digital cameras and other consumer electronics devices are not yet the main driver for mobile broadband, and this should continue for the short- to medium-term. But eventually in the next five years, he said, "there's no doubt that the (consumer electronics) industry must connect or perish."

In a sign of what's to come, some digital cameras, such as recent Panasonic Lumix camera releases, now feature a tool that lets users upload images and videos directly to their Facebook photos and Youtube pages.

The report suggests that one of the main obstacles to this development will be outdated business models among the manufacturers of consumer electronics. The UMTS Forum is urging broadband operators to take a more active and collaborative approach to work closely with manufacturers in developing this service.