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Mobile Entertainment & Commerce
...the analyst view
Edition Thirty Seven - 19th September 2007 | |
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It’s all about critical mass, stupid
The latest report from Juniper Research, looking at the uptake of mobile broadcast TV, suggests that it will be huge. But as report author Dr Windsor Holden points out, it will require critical mass and then ubiquity before it really starts to grow.
And this is the underlying issue with all mobile content and service issues: everyone is searching for the next killer app, the next SMS, but despite hype, advertising and marketing, nothing happens until enough people have that technology to hand.
SMS worked because it was already in all phones, the users simply discovered they could all do it and, boom, off it went. One person could send an SMS to a text virgin and that recipient could receive it and reply. Simple.
Today’s service offerings face a much more complicated route to market. Things like MMS, mobile instant messaging, video calling and to an extent viral marketing, mobile advertising and UGC services all need at least pairs of people to have the required handsets, data packages, network service and willingness to make it happen.
This means that the critical mass to make these things fly is higher and much less likely to happen. Handset churn is increasing slowly, so as long the clients are built in to new phones then the services will grow, but the time to mass market is going to be slow.
This week’s launch on the Apple iPhone on O2 is a case in point. This is the next generation mobile device that brings together mobile, the web and offers a platform to run video and music. But it isn’t going to be 3G, relying instead on EDGE and WiFi, which will cripple its usefulness and, one suspects, its critical mass. The iPhone offered an opportunity to make mobile an extension of the web and to lift MMS, video and everything else to the next level. Lack of 3G will see that not happen until at least the end of the decade.
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Mobile broadcast TV to reach almost 120m mobile users by 2012, but technological and regulatory hurdles still to be faced…
Worldwide annual consumer spending on mobile broadcast TV services is expected to exceed $6.6 billion by 2012, according to a new report from Juniper Research, with nearly 120 million mobile users in more than 40 countries expected to receive broadcast TV services by 2012, compared to less than 12 million in 2007.
DVB-H the dominant transmission standard is likely to be the dominant force, however, the report cautions that services face significant technological and regulatory hurdles both prior to launch and as they bid to build a critical mass of subscribers.
According to report author Dr Windsor Holden, “While the quasi-mandation of DVB-H by the European Commission is a huge boost to that standard, it does create uncertainty in the minds of those who might regard other technologies as more cost effective and might ultimately be counterproductive as a measure to promote mobile TV per se.”
The report also stresses the need for regulators to make optimal UHF spectrum available as soon as is practicably possible, and for vendors to ensure that broadcast TV chipsets are rapidly introduced into a wide range of mass market handsets to facilitate adoption.
According to the study, the US will be the largest single market for mobile broadcast TV services in 2012, followed by Japan and Italy. Streamed TV packages will gradually evolve to complement mobile broadcast TV, functioning as an outlet for the “long tail” of minority viewing TV channels.
Advertising will contribute an increasing proportion to overall mobile TV revenues, but in most cases will provide a supplementary revenue stream, with most services relying on both subscriptions and pay-per-view for the majority of revenues.
Holden added, “The key to the takeup of services such as SMS and, of applications such as cameraphones, has been their ubiquity: everyone can send an SMS, most people can now take a picture with their handset. If companies are serious about achieving widespread adoption of mobile TV, it is essential for chipsets to filter down very rapidly from top of the range handsets into the mass market models so that everyone has the opportunity, at least, to sample mobile TV services.”
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… while mobile dating revenues to reach $1bn by 2012, according to latest figures from Juniper Research
Revenues from mobile dating and chatroom services are expected to pass $1 billion by 2010, according to a new report from Juniper Research. Globally, the number of users of such services is expected to rise from just over 40 million in 2007 to 260 million in 2012, driven by strong demand in both developed and emerging markets, including more than 60 million users in the Indian sub-continent.
According to report author Dr Windsor Holden, "Major brands such as Match.com and Webdate have recognised that customers are willing to pay a mobility premium for 24x7 access to these services and are increasing deploying mobile applications to complement and enhance their existing offerings."
Holden adds that the sector was also becoming increasingly attractive to start-ups seeking to launch cross-platform services from the outset.
"The increasing proliferation of 3G handsets and a mean that companies are increasing confident of introducing converged services at the outset. Furthermore, those companies which embrace such a strategy [such as Flirtomatic, which we reported on last week logging more than 100 million page impressions in the month of August alone] are experiencing significantly higher levels of traffic from their WAP users than from their users on the fixed internet."
The report cautions, however, that usage was being retarded in many territories by excessive and confusing data pricing, stating that the high costs of data — particularly for prepaid customers — were continuing to act as a disincentive for regular usage and more widespread adoption.
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Targeting 480m customers — Russian content services come to China
i-Free, a leading Russian provider of mobile content services, has launched its services in China as part of its international expansion drive. i-Free services are now available to the subscribers of China's major mobile operators: China Mobile and China Unicom.
In China, a country of more than 1.3 billion people, cellular coverage is only 35 per cent. i-Free has launched its services on the networks of China's two biggest cellular operators, offering access to some 480 million subscribers.
Chinese users will gain access to i-Free pictures, animation, music, realtones and Java games. i-Free content catalogues are published in many Chinese print and electronic media, as well as on the company's own Chinese website www.i-free.com.cn. All the content has been adapted and localized to Chinese culture and nuances.
i-Free is poised to further expand its service range in China. New content, such as themes and videos, along with interactive and community-based services, will be added to the company's Chinese catalogue before 2007 year-end.
Initially, i-Free plans to promote its services via popular Chinese newspapers, magazines and Web resources, as well as BTL promotions.
China is the sixth country where i-Free opened its office after Ukraine, Kazakhstan, India, Mexico and Brazil. Selective i-Free products and services are also available in other countries.
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BBC Radio International opens rock music archive for mobile and web radio broadcast
Four decades of live music concerts recorded by the BBC as part of its In Concert series is set to hit mobiles and the web across more than 20 countries following a deal between BBC Radio International and Liquid Air Lab in Stuttgart.
Liquid Air Lab will launch the spodtronic live! radio service with mobile network operators, targeting one exclusive operator in each of 20 Continental European countries (excluding the UK), then aiming to extend the service to the USA and Canada. It will also be available on the web from www.spodtroniclive.com.
Against a subscription fee starting from E5.99 a month, on a one month subscription basis, users can access the archives both over the Internet and over their mobile phone using the spodtronic client software.
The archive is continuously growing as new concerts are recorded with performances from artists such as The Who, Mika, Kasabian, Jamiroquai and Take That added this year. Altogether, the catalogue includes over 1,000 exclusive audio concerts from bands such as Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, Queen, AC/DC, Coldplay, Muse, Chemical Brothers, The Killers and Avril Lavigne.
Daniel Dearlove, Head of Content Sales, Audio and Music, at BBC Radio International says: “In Concert has had a unique role over many years in helping promote quality live music over radio around the world, and we are happy to be working with Liquid Air Lab to help bring live music to this new and exciting service.”
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Mobile gambling becomes an interactive marketing driver in Holland and Benelux
International Marketing Concepts and Innovation (IMCI), a Netherlands-based company that specializes in developing interactive SMS-based services and content services for TV is looking to add games and soft gambling to its offering as a means of marketing its other services, following a deal with mobile gambling solutions provider Spin3.
Under the deal, Spin3 will provide IMCI with the SpinLite suite of stand-alone, play-for-fun casino style mobile games later this year, extending IMCI’s product line of games, ringtones, wallpapers and music to leading mobile operators in Scandinavia and the Benelux-region.
The deal with Spin3 marks the first time it has branched into the fast growing wireless casino market in order to enhance the varied product portfolio that now includes the following casino style games: Tomb Raider Video Slot, BlackJack, Roulette and Video Poker.
Michael Boevink, CEO of IMCI says: “The SpinLite suite of play-for-fun games is perfect for us as it provides a ready made games platform allowing us to expand the product offering to our customers and, most importantly, penetrate new markets and expand our revenues. The popularity of casino style games is rapidly increasing and Spin3 has provided an ideal opportunity for us and our lottery customers to introduce such games into the growing world of wireless content. We look forward to our partnership with them.”
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Mobile conference calling made easy and affordable
Group calling has long been the preserve of the enterprise telephony world, but it could well become the next big thing in consumer mobile, hopes ROK Entertainment Group.
ROK Talk enables simple and affordable group calling, all managed directly from the user's mobile phone. In just a few seconds, subscribers can instantly create or schedule conference calls with up to 30 people simultaneously using the familiar 'contacts' list already on their handset.
The ROK Talk solution manages invitations and introductions on the users behalf, and even allows in-call control of the conference directly from the handset - a first in the industry. Call costs are substantially lower than traditional conferencing solutions – and far more immediately actionable – making the product attractive for personal use.
"ROK Talk connects families and other social groups as easily as it connects a businessman with his colleagues around the world. This is our first step into giving businesses and the socially networked generation the tools they need to communicate more effectively, and we believe that there is massive potential here to not only revolutionise group calling,
but to make it as seamless and ultimately as ubiquitous as person-to-person calling is now." said Lawrence Alexander, CEO of ROK.
ROK is currently seeking applications to join a 500-strong FREE trial of ROK Talk from handset manufacturers, mobile operators, businesses and individuals world-wide.
Applicants for the free trial must own a Symbian 3rd Edition device such as the Nokia N73, E65, E61, E61i and can register their interest online at www.roktalk.com
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GSMA Mobile World Congress 2007
12th - 14th November 2007, Venetian Macau
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Programme Manager
London, £100,000 per annum
A major international telecoms and media company is looking for a Programme Manager who will drive through and be responsible for all aspects of delivering the organisation's central / backbone IT networks for service delivery.
This role will involve key aspects of customer management, quality, business process development, problem-solving and analysis. A defining factor will be the ability to demonstrate capability in leading various departments for an integrated delivery programme which meets customer needs as well as achieving stringent timetable and budgeting criteria.
You must have excellent interpersonal and people management skills and be effective in 360 management. You must also project flair and vitality throughout your sphere of influence. Major IT / Telecoms project delivery and PRINCE2 practitioner or equivalent is required for this role.
For more information and to apply please click here
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Elisa launches Mobile Instant Messaging across Finland powered by Colibria
Elisa, a leading Finnish communications service company, has announced the launch of its Windows Live Messenger mobile service provided by Colibria. The service enables over 2.2m subscribers to chat instantly with friends and colleagues whether via mobile handset or PC.
“Keith Gibson, CEO at Colibria commented, “Providing a dynamic and intuitive platform for Elisa to bring together PC IM users and mobile subscribers will create a superior community messaging experience for customers. In addition to enabling the best possible user experience, the new MIM service provides the opportunity to drive ARPU with increased data usage and additional services.”
Vodafone Czech Republic launches mobile advertising with Amobee
Vodafone Czech Republic and Amobee Media Systems today announced the commercial launch of a new mobile advertising service. Using Amobee’s Media System, Vodafone CZ will display advertising in its Vodafone live! portal, as well as its messaging services and games downloads.
“The industry is united in recognising the potential of mobile as a media channel in its own right – allowing advertisers to deliver their messages in a more personal, relevant and contextual way than has ever been possible in the past,” said Zohar Levkovitz, CEO of Amobee. “Vodafone’s launch in the Czech Republic signals a new role for mobile operators in the advertising world, creating an entirely new channel for advertisers and a new way for consumers to enjoy more mobile services.”
Price: £1490 (Single User) £1990 (Multi User) £2990 (Enterprise Wide)
This detailed report provides a complete analysis of the current and future opportunities for mobile TV. It discusses recent developments in the market for streamed and broadcast mobile TV services, focusing on the different applications and standards currently in trial across a number of markets.
The in depth study provides vital forecast data on subscriber growth, ARPU and total revenues, and also offers a series of strategic recommendations for operators, broadcasters, service providers, vendors and regulators.
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