Mobile entertainment comprises a range of activities associated with mobile electronics. The definition is both somewhat subjective and in continual development, but can include purely leisure activities (music, playing games), communications (social media, instant messaging, Twitter), and activities which could also be defined as commerce (shopping).

According to Moore and Rutter: "A primary difficulty when researching mobile entertainment is that of definition". It is not always clear to consumers precisely what ‘mobile entertainment’ is. The problem of producing common understandings of mobile entertainment has been previously highlighted by the Mobile Entertainment Forum (MEF) when stating that 'two different industries make up the mobile entertainment industry: entertainment and telecommunications. Mobile entertainment is created as the convergence of both industries. Each of these worlds speaks a different language, and holds different assumptions about the nature of its work' (‘Terminology of Mobile Entertainment: An Introduction’, MEF, August 2003)."

MGAIN assumes "mobile entertainment includes any leisure activity undertaken via a personal technology which is, or has the potential to be, networked and facilitates transfer of data ... over geographic distance either on the move or at a variety of discrete locations." While workable, the definition does not cover whether mobile entertainment services must interact with service providers or telcos. It does not cover whether such service would incur a cost of usage. If mobile entertainment were said to be a subset of mobile commerce, hence, it must involve transactions of economic value. "The social aspects of mobile entertainment are hidden within the phrase ‘any leisure activity’."

This article "presents a framework to examine mobile entertainment from multiple points of views. This allows future research to be conducted with the clarity of distinguishing mobile entertainment services of different domains."

Wong and Hiew examine multiple perspectives from various players of the value web as well as researchers to bridge the gaps found in various definitions in order to reach a common understanding. The authors consider the following as key considerations in determining whether a mobile service falls under mobile entertainment category: a form of leisure activity, interaction with service providers, utilization of wireless telecommunication networks, and transaction which incur a cost upon usage. To understand mobile entertainment, three different segments are suggested in the following figure. Each segment suggests a specific set of theories. It is implicit throughout the study that mobile entertainment is any type of leisure activity on the move.

Segment 1 consists of intersection between mobile commerce and mobile entertainment, sitting on top of wireless telecommunication networks. In other words, mobile entertainment services in segment 1 must be a subset of mobile commerce, which involves exchanges of monetary value and interaction with service providers.

Segment 2 covers mobile entertainment services which utilize wireless telecommunication networks, but do not incur a cost upon usage and do not interact with service providers. For example, one may play multiplayer mobile games with friends via Bluetooth.

Segment 3 involves mobile entertainment which does not require wireless connection and transaction of an economic value. For example, one may play preinstalled single player games on a handheld device such as a mobile phone.