Mobile web to be worth $16 billion in 2011

Apparently, some people are confused as to why there is so much fuss about mobile web. Well; the short answer is - $16 billion.

1. Analysts say that mobile web will be worth a whopping $16 billion in just three years from now. Now, a $16 billion market is something that is too big for even giants like Google and Yahoo to be taken lightly.

2. Also, the size of the mobile phone market is three times bigger than the size of the web market. In other words, there are three mobile phone users for one PC user. Now, where do you see more opportunities?

3. Apple iPhone, in more ways than one, changed the landscape of the mobile world. Since its arrival, mobile internet usage has increased as most of the iPhone users regularly surf the net from their phone. Add more high-end phones like Nokia N95, Blackberry, and other such smart phones to the equation and you have the perfect recipe for a mobile web revolution.

4. With 3G and 3.5G networks, high speed mobile browsing is very much possible for mobile users. This will significantly increase the number of mobile web users in the future.

Hence, the excitement.

While Google is busy with Android, Yahoo has been silently working its way to the top. Both these companies have kept people guessing what would be their next move in the mobile world for quite some time now. In my opinion, Yahoo has a slight edge over Google as it’s already set its foot firmly in the mobile market. However, if Android could do to Google what the iPhone did for Apple, we’d be looking at a completely different situation. Either way, the competition is going to be interesting to watch.

Categories: Mobile Web.

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Could 3G iPhone become a mobile advertiser’s dream?

No publicity is bad publicity, they say. If that’s true, then Apple can be proud of what they’ve achieved in the past few days. With the release of the 3G iPhone, they’ve made everyone, including yours truly, say something about it. As you can see for yourself, the internet is full of people expressing their opinions, as mixed as they are, on the new iPhone. Isn’t that what Apple exactly wants?

Thankfully, AdAge has come up with an article that stands out a little from the crowd. It looks at the 3G iPhone as a potential marketing weapon. The new features, the rich look, and the extremely good user interface of the new iPhone make it a very good choice for mobile advertisers around the world. However, instead of the usual banner ads, text message ads, and MMS ads, adverts in the new iPhone will be a lot different.

In the new iPhone, software is the content and content is the software. In other words, marketers will focus on building web applications for the iPhone and market them more effectively. The key is to think of a mobile application and then find out if there is actually any demand for such an application. Once you’ve found out the right app which users might make use of, you’re on your way to market your product or service in the most efficient manner ever. For example, a mobile game developer could come up with a kickass game for the 3G iPhone and allow the users to download it for free. This will give him more publicity and exposure than a measly banner ad or a text message ad. Because apps are something that the users look forward to using, the issue of unsolicited, unwanted mobile marketing is out of question. Check out the article and tell me what you think of it.

Categories: Apple iPhone.

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Mobile broadband to become bigger than fixed line internet

We’ve already seen some signs that indicate just how big mobile web will become in future and here’s one more to that list. In fact, this one hits the nail on the head. Broadband experts predict that in just about two years, mobile broadband will overtake fixed line internet.

This comes off as hugely surprising news for many, even for people, yours truly included, who feel positive about mobile web. The reason is simple. They say it’s going to happen in just two freaking years.

They state a few reasons to back up this ambitious claim. First of all, the ability to connect your laptop to the internet through your mobile device is the biggest plus. This is becoming more and more common with people who wish to stay connected all the time. Finding a browsing center in an unknown area is a pain in the neck and finding a Wi-Fi hotspot zone to use your laptop doesn’t sound too exciting either. So, mobile broadband sounds like the perfect option.

Also, the price of mobile broadband has come down recently. 3, the famous UK operator, offers mobile broadband for just £15 per month. There has been a steady decline in the price of mobile broadband for quite some time and especially over the past few months, the prices have come down almost by 50%. So, this encourages a lot of mobile users to think of using the mobile web facility.

Most importantly, HSDPA, 3G, and 3.5G networks offer high speed browsing for users. According to a survey, the average speed offered by mobile broadband providers is around 1.5 Mbps, which is not at all bad.

The number of mobile broadband users has been steadily increasing and experts promise that if it continued to grow at this rate for the next year or two, we would be looking at a scenario where fixed line broadband connections would become a rarity.

That, I think, is one heck of a claim. What do you say folks?

Categories: All things mobile phones, Mobile Web.

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So, what’s your take on the new 3G iPhone?

When I blogged about the new 3G iPhone, I didn’t look into the data plans and other stuff related to it. I blogged about its features, its cool apps, and of course, its discounted price. Apparently, not everyone is happy about that.

Both the New York Times and CNN have stories regarding the 3G iPhone and while the former says that it’s a step backward for the consumers, the latter says that it’s not so cheap after all. The bottom line of both stories - though the new iPhone looks cheaper, it’s actually more expensive than the old one as it has more hidden costs. Let me explain.

Though the prices for the 8GB and 16GB 3G iPhones have been slashed, AT&T will actually pay way more than what it will charge its customers. It means, it has to recover its costs in some other way. So, the rate of the data plans will be increased. Also, you have to sign an exclusive contract with AT&T for the new iPhone for two years and should you try to terminate the contract before that period, you’ll have to pay a hefty termination fee.

Let’s do a little math.

You pay $199 for the new 8 GB iPhone and pay $69.99 per month whereas you paid $399 for the old iPhone and paid $59.99 per month. So, for a period of two years, the new iPhone will cost you $40 more than the old iPhone.

Considering this huge amount of $40 for a period of two years, both the New York Times and CNN have decided that the new iPhone is costlier. I have nothing against their point of view, but then I’d have to say that it’s utterly myopic to come to such a conclusion.

The $40 increase they talk about is not something you pay at the time of purchase. You pay an extra $10 per month, which I think is completely reasonable considering the features I get to use in this phone.

Now, to the people who point at the iPhone and cry it’s costlier. I ask you - is it necessary to split hairs over an increase of $40 for two years? Is it that big a deal? Wow; it amounts to a whopping 5.6 cents per day. Is it that big an amount to stop you from buying a better, faster, improved phone? Anyone has answers?

Categories: Apple iPhone, All things mobile phones.

1 comment.