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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Mobile web is huge - says Nielson Mobile

A latest report from Nielson Mobile says that mobile internet has reached a tipping point. According to its latest survey, there are over 40 million active mobile internet users in the U.S. alone. And the number is growing steadily by the day. So, Nielson Mobile states that mobile internet, as an advertising medium, has reached a critical mass. What this means to advertisers is that they now have a very good market with a good demographic depth.

Now, this should not be surprising for anyone who’s been following the mobile web market closely. Mobile broadband usage has skyrocketed in the recent times and we’ve had report after report predicting just how big mobile web can be in the future. So, all I can say to people who doubted the potential of mobile web is – I told you so. In fact, I think there is still scope for a huge growth. As more and more people start using Apple iPhones, Blackberries, Nokia N95s, and other such phones, the number of mobile web users will increase exponentially. Already, over 80% of iPhone users surf the internet regularly from their phone. So, with more and more sophisticated devices coming into the market, we can expect further growth.

Now that we’ve heard the good news, can you predict which the most popular website among mobile internet users is? If you said Yahoo, give yourself a self-congratulatory pat on your back.

This again should not be very surprising for people following the mobile web market closely. Yahoo has made tremendous progress in the mobile web market and it’s not surprising that it enjoys great popularity among users. However, Google and Microsoft come in the second and third spots respectively and are not far away either.

Categories: Mobile Web.

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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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Free mobile calls could be the future - II

Remember I talked about the possibility of free mobile calls some time back? Well; here’s one more company which is excited about that possibility.

Aura Interactive, a Bluetooth marketing company, is the one I’m talking about. The company is known for its Bluezones, which send targeted Bluetooth based ads to mobile users. Recently, the company’s CEO said that they are planning to expand the company and come up with new prospects and innovative marketing strategies. He also hinted at the possibility of offering free mobile calls to users as one of the ideas. However, he quickly added that they haven’t decided anything on that yet and it might take some time before they start working on that idea.

I’ve been watching the mobile advertising industry for the past year or two and I’ve heard people talk about the possibility of free mobile calls, free text messages, free mobile web usage, and a lot more. Especially with companies like Blyk becoming popular, this idea is being considered by quite a few companies.

What do you feel about this? Are you okay with the concept of ad supported mobile calls? Or would you rather pay your bill and have an ad-free mobile phone?

Categories: Cell Phone Advertising, All things mobile phones.

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News Corp to join Microsoft’s bid for Yahoo?

Remember Microsoft’s multi billion dollar bid for Yahoo? The move made headlines all over the world and things got slowed down when Yahoo announced that it is not interested in the offer unless Microsoft raises its bid. Now, the story has taken a new turn. According to sources, media tycoon Rupert Murdoch’s News Corporation might join hands with Microsoft in its bid.

If Rupert Murdoch could pull it off, it would be a terrific union. Just imagine – Microsoft, MySpace (which belongs to News Corp.), and Yahoo on the same side. That would be one hell of a force to be reckoned with.

I think such a union is very much possible. Yahoo’s main reason for ignoring Microsoft’s offer is that it feels that the offer is too low to be accepted. With a powerful company like News Corporation on its side, Microsoft will be able to raise its bid considerably and thus Yahoo might be tempted to accept the offer. If it does happen, it will put Google under tremendous pressure and its number one spot in the internet might be under threat. Moreover, such a union could also have a significant impact on the mobile web space, as all three – Microsoft, Yahoo, and MySpace – are somehow interested in the mobile web space.

Nothing has been decided so far and it will take quite some time for the concerned parties to arrive at a mutually agreeable decision. I’ll keep a close eye on this issue and will keep you guys posted. Meanwhile, feel free to tell me what you feel about this possible alliance.

Categories: Cell Phone Advertising, All things mobile phones, Yahoo, Microsoft.

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