| Welcome to 2011! So, what will be the top three trends for the mobile channel and mobile technology over the next 12 months? |  |
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| Jason Kemp |
Windows, the sleeping giant, but with so many false dawns it’s difficult to really believe it will turn the market in its direction. Windows is functional, not sexy, and phones have always needed that ‘X Factor’ to succeed en mass. It has missed the boat in convincing business they need Windows phones to integrate with their IT systems, as RIM, Apple, Symbian all work well enough.
Android is my choice to dominate the future. Easy to use, fun, exciting, content rich and supported by a variety of manufacturers. Oh, and powered by Google. Consumers like choice and Android provides this. It doesn’t matter which manufacturers phone you pick up, if you have used Android before you’ll master it in minutes and with killer apps like free sat nav, Google Sky, Cardio Trainer, email and more, so why won’t it dominate?
Samsung Bada, sorry, but I think this will prove to be an expensive mistake. It’s difficult to see how Samsung can back both Bada and Android.
With smartphones marching on, I believe there will be massive demand for good old fashioned talk and text devices. Why?
Most 65 to 70 year olds I know have a mobile phone that they use frequently; but Facebook, sat-nav, email, Wi-Fi, touchscreen, not likely! And kids? Although little Johnnie is demanding an iPhone at 13, when he’s 10 you’re better off giving him a JCB Sitemaster, because it will withstand the knocks until he (or she) is responsible enough to move on to a smartphone.
Kids and seniors are both under developed markets for mobile, one market is seen as controversial (but how many kids of 11 do you know without a mobile?) and one isn’t sexy for a technology product. However, these are the markets that will drive sales of simple handsets for completely different reasons.
From Doro at the senior end of the market, to Samsung with its classic sliders and Motorola coming back with clams, the simple phone has a lot of potential in 2011.
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| Chris Earle |
Compare this to the current dealer model which involves credit checks, paying commissions, managing clawbacks, investigating sales compliance issues and all the other work involved and the MVNO partnership model suddenly becomes a lot more attractive.
Networks are starting to see how beneficial such relationships can be and the first trend I predict is that 2011 will see networks such as Orange working with Transatel, bringing more firms online as MVNO partners.
Therefore secondly I expect this first trend will create new opportunities for the mobile industry. For example, as a virtual network we would like to offer customers mobile handset insurance. Unicom is currently investigating the options available and I suggest that MVNO targeted solutions will be introduced by companies such as 20:20 to capture this emerging market.
Finally, I expect there to be a shift away from the ‘unlimited’ data bundles currently offered to customers. With the large influx of devices that can take advantage of the mobile data network, supporting unlimited data usage just isn’t as feasible as it once was. Offering sensible fixed data allowances to customers will help manage customer expectations and ensure the extreme heavy users don’t degrade the network performance for everyday users.
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| Dave McGinn |
For both, the natural benefit is in consolidating their relationship with customers and strengthening their ties through being able to satisfy multiple communications requirements.
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| Rimma Perelmuter |
Meanwhile, the recent launch of Isis, a new national mobile commerce network in North America endorsed by AT&T, Verizon and T-Mobile, will enable consumers to use near field communications (NFC) to make point of sale purchases on their mobile devices. This initiative not only has the backing of operators, but also of players in the financial services industry, highlighting the commitment of key actors across the ecosystem to accelerate the mobile device’s capacity to serve as a powerful purchase and payment point.
While these developments highlight mcommerce’s coming of age, we shouldn’t forget that the mobile industry already provides a range of consumer-friendly billing options which have achieved significant ROI for selected retailers and brands. However, if m-commerce is to realise even a fraction of its potential, greater investment by retailers is paramount. Industry research, consumer demand and Isis should serve as a wake-up call to those which have not incorporated mobile into their multi-channel strategy.
The development of the applications market to date has, to a certain extent, been characterised by the widespread availability of ‘one off’ apps, destined to sit redundantly on a user’s device after initial download. Quantity has most definitely ruled over quality.
2011 may mark the end of this trend and the beginning of an era where users demand more from their app experience. Apps which generate revenue streams for the developers must focus on delivering services that provide regular engagement for the consumer, as opposed to just one time usage.
Those who succeed in monetising their apps will be those who develop (and who have experience in providing) service-based relationship models. While there is no single model for success in the apps market, future strategies should focus on developing an ongoing relationship with the consumer.
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| Andy Tow |
Opt-in location and behaviours based applications will also contribute, which allow organisations to stand out in a saturated mobile market by closely monitoring their clients’ search and buying habits and contacting them with highly targeted marketing messages while in the close proximity of their business. Organisations who are one step ahead and who incorporate these innovative apps into their marketing strategy will be the ones to reap the benefits.
As Google UK CEO, Matt Britting, has reportedly said: “If you think the internet revolution is big, the mobile revolution is going to be bigger and much more widespread, and faster.”