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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Apple to release its 3G iPhone on July 11

The long wait is over folks. The much-awaited 3G iPhone from Apple will be out on July 11. There is a hefty price cut as well, as the price has been slashed by $200. You can get the 8GB model for $199 and the 16GB model for $299. If you’re one of those early birds who paid $499 for your iPhone, well; I can understand your plight.

Before I get into the details, it’s worth remembering the ‘cause’ which triggered this effect. When Apple released its hugely anticipated iPhone, the response was overwhelming. However, soon there was a complaint that the iPhone was a tad too slow when it comes to browsing the internet. This was a major letdown and Apple had to do something about it. Out came the idea for a next generation iPhone which will offer superior mobile web experience. And now, here we have it.

Alright; back to the current scenario. Steve Jobs has promised that this 3G iPhone will certainly be ‘the phone’ which will stand out from the rest when it comes to mobile browsing and mobile web experience. He also promises that this phone will be more than 35% faster than its rival Nokia N95 when it comes to mobile web. This has made a lot of people sit back and take notice. Also, Apple thinks it can crack the working professionals/executives segment, which is a major market for Blackberry, with its 3G iPhone.

Another interesting thing about this 3G iPhone is the number of mobile apps it boasts of.

1. Mobile Me, which stores your emails, contacts, calendars, and other details in a server called ‘cloud’ and forwards your emails to your PC, Mac, iPod Touch, or iPhone. Whatever change you make in one device will get updated automatically in the other devices.

2. Cow Terry, a music making software, which lets you create songs on the go in your iPhone.

3. A mobile blogging software from TypePad

4. A social networking service from Loopt

5. An app from MLB.com which brings you live scorecard from major league games.

Overall, I would say the 3G iPhone is good. And it’s way better than the current version of iPhone that we’re using now. Most importantly, at $299, I think it’s quite a bargain. So, have you decided to buy it on July 11 or what?

Categories: Apple iPhone, All things mobile phones, Mobile Web.

2 comments.