Tuesday, January 22, 2008

Mobile Trends for Developed Markets in 2008

Mobile Operators facing Increased Competition on their Core Business:
  • Increased competition: MVNO, Fixed Operators and ISPs
  • Threat on revenues: Price pressure on SMS and voice, regulatory constraints
  • Reducing costs and generating new revenue streams: 3G investment, FMC strategies

Mobile Operators aim is to generate higher Revenues from Mobile Services through Value Added Services such as:

  • Internet Applications Entertainment – Video/Music/Images/Mobile TV
  • Messaging
  • Advertising/M-Commerce
  • Gaming
  • Navigation & LBS

Main trends that are identified are:

  • Content Management Platforms - Users are consuming more content.
    Content and rich media are catalysts of
    ARPU. Solutions include: Management, Personalization, Content Adaptation, Marketing, Rich Media (Video, Music, Games).
  • Device Interface and Usability Technologies - Users are adopting new sensor-driven technologies such as touch-panel displays, enhanced camera phones and gyros. All of these rising technological solutions are part of the drive to allow integration of advanced applications into mobile devices such as Gaming, Video & Music, Healthcare, Commerce and IT.
  • Mobile TV / P2P / VoIP - The established communication platforms will remain the leading source of revenues. Emerging technologies and new business models are changing the way consumers pay for these services (VoIP) leading operators to develop more advanced services (MobileTV).
  • Internet & Mobile Convergence - Internet and mobile convergence will change the way consumers use the two platforms. The consumption of media will no longer be the same in killer applications such as UGC, Social Networking, Advertising, Search and Instant Messaging.
  • Mobile Advertising - Advertisers are offering new revenue-generating models in the mobile space led by new value added services such as Sponsored Calls, SMS, Search and Content.
  • Personalized Services - Specialized features and phones designed for targeted services and applications will allow a segmentation of users.

Macbook Air - oops they did it again...

Thought size does not matter? Well, you might want to reconsider this cliché as Apple proves the world once again that size matter, big time. Steve jobs again breaks misconceptions with his size related remark "We are talking thin here, very thin". With the world thinnest notebook the Mac Company is redefining the size standard for laptops. Looks like it will become the benchmark for all small laptops. 16-inch thin front side and still has space for two pieces of hardware: an infrared receiver and the pulsating sleep light. With the full size keybord, full size screen, LED backlight display, built-in iSight camera, trap pad and multi – touch gestures support this is one piece of art.

Apple proves again the successful strategy of connecting Technology and Art. They set the trend of small, designed, white color devices with the iPod and now expanding the category to laptops while keeping the core values of the brand. I'm not going to be surprised if they are considering more colors for the air similar to the iPod…

On the downside I can see that the battery is not user replaceable, no dedicated graphics, 1 USB, Mono Speakers and the dear price of $1799 for 1.6Ghz and$3000 for 1.8GHz. Customers could hesitate after the price drop of the iPhone and wait a few months with their purchasing decision. It should be a warning announcement for Apple credibility if it happens again.

For design savvy, gadgets freaks and tech early adopters it's the ultimate laptop (until the next version of course) and I tend to believe that this is going to be a hit for Apple, oops they did it again…