March 5, 2009
The Week in Mobile: iPhone vs. Japan, Skittles! (again) and the mobile top ten
- Why the Japanese Hate the iPhone [Wired] - The iPhone may be trendsetting on this side of the world, but in Japan ... meh. In fact, the phones are being given away for free with a two-year contract in order to boost popularity. Some top reasons for the discontent include video and picture capabilities and high pricing plans.
- UN study finds poor countries drive growth in global cell phone use [MSNBC] - Global cell phone use is increasing - six in ten people across the world use mobile phones and this includes developing countries which actually account for 2/3 of cell phones in use. This is a major trend we've been seeing and, so far, all signs point to its continuation!
- Smartphones Will Double Their Share of the Handset Market by 2013, According to In-Stat - According to a new study from In-Stat, smartphone use will swell to 20 percent of the market by 2013. Android-powered phones should lead the pack, with BlackBerry and Apple kicking around as well.
- Skittles.com is the worst thing to ever happen to social media branding [This is Going to be Big] - To follow up on Tuesday's post, here's one opinion on the new Skittles homepage from Charlie O'Donnell. He brings up a great point of comparison in the form of Jelly Belly - same category, totally different approach to social media.
- Land Rover, Jaguar to Spend $1.6m on Mobile Ads in '09 [Media Bistro] - 10 - 20 percent of Land Rover and Jaguar's media spend next year is projected to go towards mobile support. Both brands have been in the sphere since 2007, but even so, this bodes well for the mobile marketing industry - specifically, AdMob, who will be driving (pun intended) campaigns for both.
- comScore: Light PC Internet Users Are 30 Percent More Likely than Heavy ... - comScore reported that light PC Internet users are 30 percent more likely than heavy PC Internet users to use their mobile devices to access Internet content. While this may seem counter intuitive at first glance, it's also somewhat logical: People who are "active" aren't sitting at home in front of PCs. Rather they use the web while on-the-go and prefer the shorter, more practical mobile experience.
- Conveneer Raises $4.5 Million To Turn Cell Phones Into Servers [Tech Crunch] - Swedish mobile startup, Conveneer, is building a mobile platform called Mikz. Essentially, Mikz turns the cell phone into a web server by assigning a URL to the phone which, in turn, makes the content available on the online. They are slated to launch later this year. Godspeed, Swedes!
- Amazon launches free Kindle app for iPhone and iPod touch [Mobile Burn] - Books on phones! We love it. Amazon just launched a free Kindle app for the iPhone and iPod touch allowing users to purchase desired books off Amazon to transfer to their device. Some cool features include bookmarks, text size adjustment and highlighting.
- Emerging markets are fertile ground for mobile banking [RCRWireless] - Developing markets are ripe for mobile banking opportunities. Cellphones are more prevalent in these nations than landlines, allowing for the growth and expansion of m-banking. It is hoped that by 2012, an estimated 20 million untapped users can be reached.
- Why Imeem's Music Isn't Free on Cellphones [Bits Blog] - Gotta love Imeem. The music-oriented social network has now brought us a mobile music application. The only caveat is they want users to pay for tracks on their phone whereas music on the computer = free. Dry your eyes; the new application has a customizable Internet radio service that is free. Imeem's charm is still there. Kinda.
- Slowdown may snag smartphone newbies [RCR Wireless News] - Like cartoon coyotes that extend themselves to full height before an exaggerated pounce on prey, handset vendors have offered little this year — but portended much — before an expected lunge at the market. Analyst Takeaways: Device makers could be squeezed out of apps business; new entrants to have difficult time finding success; lower data plans would drive smartphone sales.
- Report: Mobile Music To Hit $14.6 Billion In 2013 [mocoNews] - The Mobile Music Services market is predicted to hit $14.6 Billion in 2013 - $3 Billion less than predicted one year ago. Participation from major labels in mobile ventures and improvements in technology will contribute to mobile music growth, countering the decline of ringtone revenues.
- By the numbers: Top 10 most popular U.S. handsets in December [RCR Wireless News] - AvianResearch L.L.C ranks the 10 most popular handsets in the United States in December 2008. The firm derives its ranking via monthly survey of service representatives and store managers at retail stores of the four major U.S. wireless carriers (AT&T Mobility, Verizon Wireless, Sprint Nextel Corp. and T-Mobile USA Inc.). The iPhone is NOT #1.
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