Wireless World Forum in London has released a forecast regarding the importance of young cutsomers to mobile markets today and tomorrow. According to the report released last month, the average 10-year old today (doesn't say where, of course, but probably UK) will spend almost $30,000 in a lifetime on mobile services, with data-based services a key component of this figure.

WWF figures that by the time an average 10-year-old reaches 35, he or she has made 50% of their lifetime expenditure on mobile services. It also says that more than half the data spending in mature markets come from the Youth segment.

Alot of this stands to reason as mobile culture is more youth-focused, but what WWF hasn't pointed out is that the spending curve now peaking in the early 20s presumably, will flatten out as growth occurs at either end of the age spectrum. Expect to see a bump in the middle and older years as medical and security applications for mobile devices come online targeted at these groups, which have the disposable income and fear to be attracted to these applications. Likewise, younger users are gaining more control of expenditures, and will see a flood of services and payment methods directed at them as well.