It was recently reported that Apple’s iPhone is now the top seller for Verizon, along with AT&T, and will likely be the same regarding Sprint in time. The huge popularity of smart devices is indicative of the marketing viability of mobile content, as it competes with that of traditional desktop computers.

According to a forecast by global tracking, analyzing and forecasting firm Strategy Analytics, mobile ad and content revenue for 2012 is projected to hit $67 billion. The data was taken from mobile operators, handset vendors, regulators, trade bodies, advertisers, ad networks and consumer surveys taken by Strategy Analytics.

The study predicts that app downloads will be up 38% to 23 million, with revenue up 30.7 % to $26.1 billion – apps will likewise comprise 18.9% of mobile media outlay. As for advertising, spending will be up 84.5% to $11.6 billion, and in-app ad sales will surpass mobile display ad sales at $934.5 million. Strategy states that these numbers will be dramatically lower for mobile video ads – “Despite the huge audience of 271 million users, ad revenues from mobile video are tiny – a meager $223 million globally in 2011.”

As for total mobile media in 2012, $149.8 billion in revenue is projected, which includes the other $82.8 billion in mobile data subscription sales, a 9.5% increase.

Via paidContent.