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Mobile Entertainment & Commerce
...the analyst view
Edition Thirty Five - 5th September 2007 | |
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Does Nokia's Ovi open the door or easy fixed-mobile web intergration?
Last week's launch by Nokia of its all encompassing PC and mobile portal Ovi - or Door, if you are Finnish - was heralded in the press as the handset maker's attempt at an iTunes killer.
But there is far more to what Nokia is trying to do with Ovi than simply take on Apple. The Ovi idea is part of Nokia's fundamental shift from handset maker to internet services company. It also marks a step change in how mobile companies want consumers to view the web: as both a fixed and mobile experience, tightly integrated, the access device being different depending on where you are.
And this is the key. Fixed-mobile convergence is a sticky issue. It is a potentially very crowded market and one that has the potential to bamboozle early adopters with complications, billing issues and handset technology problems.
So what does Nokia hope to gain? The music service - the iTunes killer - is still in beta and isn't really up to the mark of many online music stores. The gaming portal is a third attempt at trying to get mobile gamers to 'N-gage' with mobile gaming, if you pardon the pun, and Ovi, as a brand, has some way to go before it enters the wider lexicon. Only the acquisition of social networking site Twango offers Nokia an easy way in with the kids.
That said, there is a glaring need for a simple, branded way of bringing fixed and mobile web access together in reality and in the minds of consumers. Ovi could well be that brand. We will, however, have to wait until at least this time next year to assess how successful it has been. And 12 months is a long time in mobile.
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Content revenues to grow, but only a 'smart pipe' model will see the whole value chain benefit
Non-messaging mobile content revenues - including advertising - will reach $188 billion by 2012, finds a study by Juniper Research. However, the question of which category of player will retain the largest portion of this pool of revenues is still very much open to debate.
The focus in the industry is currently on how to generate revenues from non-messaging mobile content, but there is a very poor understanding of why revenues are being shared, and what is being paid for. The report explores new business models that will distribute revenues among mobile content providers under three different scenarios, identifying who will retain the greatest proportion of available retail revenues and why.
Juniper's first proposed scenario, sees MNOs themselves reduced to 'Dumb Pipes' at the hands of aggressive end user retail revenue-seeking activity by content owners, search engines and other branded service providers. This is the fastest road to bankruptcy for MNOs, since they will only retain a maximum of 24 per cent ($44.7 billion) of the non-messaging mobile content market, while content providers will make 63 per cent ($118.7 billion) and third parties around 13% ($24.5 billion).
The second scenario, where MNOs continue to attempt to implement the vertically-integrated, 'on portal' model currently prevalent in developed North East Asian markets. Although MNOs will retain up to 30 per cent ($57 billion) of revenues, the increased negotiating power of content providers means that the lion's share of 67 per cent ($126.3 billion) will go to them, while there will be less space in the market for third parties, who will only retain around $4.5 billion.
Juniper's third propostion, the Smart Pipe scenario, enables new business and revenue models to emerge that support the delivery of flexible, applications-centric value configurations - such as search, imaging and information services - based on the core competencies of the various players. Under this scenario, mobile network operators are able to generate a small retained revenue upside (31%, or $58 billion) by making a range of business-to-business services available to a larger number of third parties.
"Mobile network operators have nothing to lose by looking at alternative business and revenue models that enable them to blend a retail strategy with a well-articulated business-to-business and wholesale approach that capitalises on the network- and subscriber management requirements of an increasing array of downstream service providers" says Sue Uglow, report author. "This requires a step-change in the mindsets of most MNOs, but we are beginning to see movement in this direction."
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Visual search using MMS turns static music goods into interactive portals with direct m-commerce
For the first time, a static CD, DVD or street advertising posters in the UK will become interactive portals for mobile content downloads, thanks to Craze Productions, a leading digital record label with exclusive rights to top Urban artists, launching a revolutionary Mobile Music service this month.
MMS & Buy is all about impulse purchase through intuitive picture-taking. Consumers can access mobile internet and relevant mobile content by snapping a picture of their desired cover and sending it as an MMS. The new service will recognize the artist and the name of the album, and will send back to the mobile phone a link to a special page with ringtones, video clips, merchandise offers, games and related news updated.
The service by-passes the need for any barcodes, special marking on the item scanned, or any application on the mobile.
The service is based on a world-class image recognition engine, which supports both printed and electronic media - from TV and LCD screens, to CD/DVD covers, Posters, Flyers and even T-Shirts.
Plans for the next phase include buying concert tickets straight from newspapers, flyers or street posters with 1 click, and making the service available on Craze Production's music store on Sky Interactive TV.
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eBay launches mobile re-bidding service across Europe
Online auction giant eBay, the world's largest online marketplace with a global customer base of 266 million users, is rolling out a new SMS re-bidding service in the UK, France and Belgium, which will enable users to monitor and participate in the online bidding process, even when they are no longer in front of their PC.
The new service - identical to that launched across Spain by the two companies in September 2006 - will be powered by mBlox inbound and outbound premium SMS services.
SMS re-bidding is a natural extension of eBay's online auction format capability and mobile access is a key factor particularly as a high proportion of eBay bidders are away from their computers during the final stages of an auction format listing.
The service enables users to track bids through "outbid" alerts and to react quickly from their mobile should they need to increase a bid. The UK service, which costs 12 UK pence plus VAT per message, will be offered to users as an option when a bid is placed online.
Ian Jordan, Head of Product Development, Operations and Innovation, eBay UK describes the advent of mobile bidding as a fundamental transformation of the Internet auction experience. "Traditionally web auctions are a desk-based activity and many auction biddings end prematurely because people leave their PCs. The possibility to participate beyond the PC from a mobile phone will have massive implications for the dynamics and value of the auction process," he says. "It will mean more potential buyers will participate for longer producing better deals for everyone."
Jeff Clark, CEO of mBlox, adds: "The solution for eBay proved compelling for two clear reasons. First, it is purely text message-based requiring no downloads or up-front payments and perhaps more importantly it can be used on any phone. Anyone logging into their usual eBay account will receive an option to continue monitoring or participating in auction format listings via their standard mobile phone.
"Secondly," he says, "it introduces the concept of ubiquitous connectivity to eBay via a mobile phone. Users will no longer be confined to the - essentially sedentary - PC but free to participate in auctions when and where they please."
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3G pioneer Manx Telecom unveils 3.5G service that converges mobile and PC
The Isle of Man's Manx Telecom, which pioneered and acted as the test bed for 3G way back when, has launched a converged content delivery service based on iO Global's Mobile Experience platform, The service will let users seamless work between mobiles and PCs
For the first time, Manx Telecom customers can download their chosen content to the destination of their choice and then seamlessly share the content between the mobile device and PC. Manx Telecom, which has earned a reputation for being at the leading edge of telecoms innovation, is the first operator in the world to deliver this converged service from iO global to its 75,000 subscriber-base on the island and was the first operator in the world to launch a 3.5G mobile service.
As part of the new 'Mobile Downloads' service, Manx Telecoms has signed a number of local bands in order to offer their music free to subscribers. It also provides an excellent opportunity for local artists and musicians to have their work profiled on a national and international level. The 'Mobile Downloads' service is available to all Manx Telecoms subscribers with immediate effect.
Confirms Andy Bridson, Marketing Director of Manx Telecom: "At Manx Telecom we continually strive to provide the very latest, innovative services to our customers to maximise their mobile enjoyment and lifestyles. We believe that consumers should be able to enjoy the content they want, when they want and in the format that is most appropriate to them at the time. By working with iO global, we have been able to launch the world-class converged 'Mobile Downloads' service, that delivers flexibility and choice to our customers. The experience is incredible, when using 3.5G technology it is as quick to download a new tune as it is to browse on an iPod."
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Telcogames gains access to Viva La Mobile's 1.4m multiplayer gamers from around the world
Telcogames, a global publisher, developer and distributor of mobile games has acquired Viva La Mobile a leader in real-time multiplayer games for mobile devices. Viva La Mobile has been live with its proprietary Redstar multiplayer platform for the past three years. So far 3 Australia; 3 Austria; 3 Hong Kong; Smartone Vodafone Hong Kong; PCCW Sunday Hong Kong and Telstra are all live carriers cumulatively generating more than 1.4 million paid for multiplayer game sessions.
In addition to real-time multiplayer, the Viva La Mobile Redstar platform allows payment flexibility with pay per play billing, free play and subscription models. It also offers chat, high scores, international leader-boards and tournaments under its mobile games championship(MGC) brand with carrier grade servers hosted in several locations worldwide reducing the integration required for carriers and eliminating any cost on behalf of carriers.
Orange Israel will be Telcogames' first customer to launch Viva's multiplayer games in September. Launch titles will be Super Puzzle Bobble multiplayer from Taito and Viva's own critically acclaimed Badlands multiplayer game. Other single and multiplayer titles Viva has created include Rubiks Cubed, Aqua Dig and Fire Frenzy amongst others.
Jamie Conyngham, CEO Telcogames said "The Viva acquisition allows us to continue offering our clients the latest advances in mobile games. Gamers in many European countries have yet to see branded real-time multi-player games such as Taito's Super Puzzle Bobble and we intend to change to make this part of our offering to our global distribution base."
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Mobilkom Austria launches world's largest and most comprehensive roll out of NFC services
Telekom Austria's mobile arm, mobilkom austria, has launched the world's largest and most comprehensive commercial package of Near Field Communication (NFC) services in Austria in co-operation with its partners NXP Semiconductors, Nokia, ÖBB (Austrian Federal Railways) and Wiener Linien (Vienna's main public transport provider).
NFC facilitates short-range communication between electronic devices via a fast and easy wireless connection. This allows many everyday applications to become simply mobile transactions: with a single movement of the hand, a mobile phone can be transformed into a railway ticket, tram ticket, pay-and-display parking ticket, lottery ticket and much more.
During the first weeks of September, NFC services will become available throughout Austria. In seconds, customers can purchase public transport tickets, snacks from a vending machine and mobile parking tickets.
Dr. Hannes Ametsreiter, CMO mobilkom austria and CMO Telekom Austria says: "During the first phase of the roll-out we will be using NFC to make already successful services such as transport tickets even faster and more convenient. During the second phase we plan to launch additional exciting applications such as the mobile purse. The next step, will be for the manufacturers to standardize NFC by putting the application on the SIM card, ensuring the security and flexibility of the service."
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GSMA Mobile World Congress 2007
12th - 14th November 2007, Venetian Macau
The only place where the best converge. The GSMA Mobile Asia Congress 2007, formerly known as 3GSM Mobile Asia Congress, is THE place to connect to the Mobile future! Mobile Asia Congress is a unique environment for leading companies to showcase the latest in mobile products and solutions, a place for the industry's innovators to develop new ideas and for its leaders to set out their visions for growth.
Contact us today to register for the most highly-regarded event in the mobile industry.
Hong Kong: + 852 2593 1286
UK: + 44 2077 592 315
Make the greatest, most effective investment in yourself and your company by being part of the most highly-regarded event in the mobile industry, the GSMA Mobile Asia Congress.
For more information please click here
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Virgin Mobile: SEC Reporting Guru
Warren, New Jersey, USA
This position is fully responsible for coordination, preparation and review of all SEC Reporting (10-K, 10-Q, etc.). Also responsible for assessing new SEC / GAAP pronouncements, preparing position papers on impact to VMU and amending reporting processes accordingly.
The successful candidate will have 5 - 7 years relevant experience in public accounting and financial accounting with at least the last 4 spent in an SEC reporting role. Of course you'll need to have a strong grasp of SEC rules and regulations and U.S. accounting principles, not to mention a CPA!
For more information and to apply please click here
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Get a truly personal ringtone delivered by a professional voice over artist
VoxTone gives users the chance to create their own mobile identity with a new pre-alert solution offering users the opportunity to create a personalised tone. VoxTone is a fully customisable solution for every ringtone and sound notification need.
It comprises a specially produced pre-alert sound, from a wide selection, alongside a personally requested and recorded voice message. VoxTone can say anything a customer requests, such as a personal nickname, company name and any requested sentence.
"Nadeem Mughal, CEO, VoxTone Communications Inc, says: "Mobile users currently have limited options when it comes to customising their ringtones. They are at the mercy of what's currently on offer and what's been created for them, rather than being able to create their own unique tone. We are re-introducing choice for customers all over the UK who want something really different and who want to take control of their own personal mobile identity."
Flex Your Brain Muscles and Improve Your Memory With Ojom's Mobile IQ Trainer
Ojom GmbH, a leading creator and global publisher of mobile phone games, today announced the launch of Mobile IQ Trainer, offering mobile users a number of intellectually-stimulating and fun games, including Sudoku. The game can improve your processing speed and IQ, and the format has proven to be globally successful and now it comes to your mobile, so get those synapses snapping and train your brain.
If you want to improve your memory and boost your IQ, all via your mobile phone, then the Mobile IQ Trainer is for you. The game will grab you instantly and you'll be competing with your friends and family to see who can get the best score. As the game is on your phone, you have the freedom train your brain anywhere from on the train to playing at home. The game's instructions are easy to understand and are delivered via the game's own friendly talking robot, Bob.
Marc Buße, channel manager, of Ojom GmbH, said: "This is a fun packed and addictive game which gives the player a fun and intellectually rewarding gaming challenge. With a combination of skill and logic the player can hone their IQ potential and have great competitive fun at the same time."
Price: £1490 (Single User) £1990 (Multi User) £2990 (Enterprise Wide)
This detailed report offers a complete analysis of the mobile user generated content market whilst providing vital forecast data on subscriber numbers and revenues up until 2012.
It segments the UGC market into three main categories including, Social networking, Dating/Chatrooms and Personal Content Delivery. The report also comprises interviews with key players, focused case studies and analysis from representatives of some of the leading organisations involved in this promising sector.
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