Hands-on supports App developers…
I have to say that I’m surprised on what I saw but I confirmed it. Hands-on knows that most of the new game, application, etc ideas will come from small companies and individual persons. The main problem here is that most of them could get access to funding, help and finally access to the market.
I have to say it, congrats to them and I hope this can help smaller Portuguese companies to rise above our market and difficulties and to reach a global market.
Here is the original add:
App developers…do you need support? The Hands-On Mobile Developer Network (HDN) is a partnership program to help you wherever you need it. We offer funding, marketing, PR, guidance, access to new mobile markets, and much more!
http://developer.handson.com
Event: App Planet - Fira in Barcelona on February 15th to 18th
Don´t miss out on the Mobile World Congress next February. A lot is going to happen even a App event called App Planet.
* Application developer conferences focused specifically on the most influential mobile platforms in the market. There is going to be:
* An interactive apps exhibition
* The App Lounge for networking and business development
* Dedicated, day-long track panels and keynotes (for Silver, Gold and Platinum pass holders only)
* The App Garage, showcasing cutting-edge GSMA initiatives in the mobile applications space
And you can hear and tall to:
* Ben Verwaayen, CEO, Alcatel-Lucent
* Chang Xiaobing, Chairman and CEO, China Unicom
* Hans Vestberg, President and CEO, Ericsson
* Eric Schmidt, Chairman and CEO, Google
* Guo Ping, Chairman, Huawei Communications
* Tadashi Onodera, President and Chairman, KDDI Corporation
* César Alierta, Executive Chairman and CEO, Telefónica
* Vittorio Colao, Chief Executive, Vodafone
Go here for more informations: http://www.mobileworldcongress.com/index.htm
Data is the future
Since I moved to the Netherlands I’ve seen that the dutch use there cellphone for everything. Check schedules on trains, buses, planes, hear music (for the internet), play games and share the results, share videos, pictures… well you get the picture. Data is were the operator will have there future revenues as it passes from the minutes we spend talking. And here the operator already know this, in the agreement you do with them you get the minutes you talk, unlimited data and if you want 1000 sms. This costs about 27 or 31 euros per month and, ohh, it came with the cellphone of your choosing. I did it and now I’m a proud owner of a HTC Hero, no extra cost and no software alterations.
So what does this differs from Portugal? Well unfortunately everything. Here the operators differentiate themselves by the cellphones and services they offer, not by the 91, 96 or 93 prices. In other words you can call whatever you want to other operators and you don’t pay more them you pay when you’re calling your own network, this because it’s included in the minutes you got in the contract. The operators here have steamed lined their profits, not like in Portugal were someone pays normally about between 20 to 40 euros per month and the data in not included, and you’re using pre-paid.
I can understand the position of the Portuguese operators but if we look closely a dutch get more out of his operator them a Portuguese and the dutch earns much more then a Portuguese. In other words we’re paying more and getting less.
But where comes the data in all of this? Well it’s everywhere, social networks like Facebook updates, skype, Qik, Twitter, Foursquare, GPS, Google maps, email, downloads, augmented reality, music and video streaming and for the data that will feed the almost unlimited applications that exist out there.
And yes, you can have everything in your cell (smarphone), working and inputing and outputing data. Basicly it lights up your cell light a Christmas tree and then you have to see if you can handle being connected 24/7! Believe me it can be a… well hard to keep up.
The Next Steps for MoMoPT - were back!
First of all I must apologize for this too long silence, but there has been some changes. I’m moved to the Netherlands to do a Master on New Media and VD has been busy. But the good thing is that were back and we plan to do regular updates on the site with information and return to the events.
First of all I would like to ask our community to participate more and even came and talk to us with ideas or to help, if needed. We have been focusing on the areas that we felt were important but we haven’t hear what you want to talk about. Tell us, we can bring to you the top movers and goes from outside Portugal and within.
Secondly with me in the Netherlands I can help companies come here and present there services, products and innovations to one of the most advanced markets in the mobile area. For example the next meeting here is about Mobile Health, if there is any company in Portugal interested in attending or participating please come and talk to me, dcp@mobilemondayportugal.com. If you’re interested in doing this in another country I can also help, check our hub of Mobile Monday’s chapter spread out in the world here, http://www.mobilemonday.net/.
Thirdly we are going to recommence the bi-monthly events with a theme, we hope to do at lest 2 before the next summer. We want to improve what we did the last time so we’re looking for sponsors and media partners to help us. If you’re interested or know someone who might help us, talk to us.
Finally there are a lot a news circling around the mobile area, new innovations are coming, and for that I’m glad to be a part of it.
Report: Evaluation of leading mobile apps storefronts & market forecast
Here is a report on The future of mobile application storefronts.
It’s was made available to the Mobile Monday community.
Please download it here, http://www.wirelessexpertise.com/research_detail.php?research_id=5.
You will need to register and after that you will receive an email with the link to download the report. You also have other interesting reports there.
The Japanese Cellphones - To advanced for their good
I know that I’ve been writing a lot about cellphones and technologies, but I read an article about the japanese cellphones and I got intrigued.
The japanese are way ahead of any cellphone company in the world, they were leaders in the second and third generation cellphones and they still are in front of the innovation pack.
In 1999 they could already read their emails on cells, photos in 2000, full track music download in 2002, electronic payments in 2004 and TV receptor in 2005… just to say some!
So my question is how can’t I have one? And when?
Where is the trick part, their cellphones can’t work in our countries, they are to advanced and their brands haven’t made it out of their own turf. And if you’re thinking in Sony Ericsson, forget it, it’s not 100% japanese.
But this made the Japanese a little cranky, how can they have the best and most advanced cells in the market and not make it in the fertile American and European market?
Luckily they are working on the answer to that and they are taking the example of the Iphone as a path to follow. NEC, Panasonic, Sharp, Toshiba and Fujitsu are preparing to come out of the Japonese market and this time to make an impact, a lasting impact. Some analysts event say that this is their last effort to do so and if they can’t do it they should close their international ambitions.
In my opinion they have to resolve some problems between what the Japanese developers consider a cellphone and what the Americans and Europeans think. In Japan the cellphone although it has a very advanced hardware the software is still very primitive. Even their interface with computers is difficult or nonexistent because most Japanese use their cellphone as computers. Also, because of their hardware the cellphones are a little big and all are shell models.
I believe that most of the japanese companies can re-enter the market, they have two roads. Or they can, in the beginning, downgrade their cellphones, less innovations and gadgets. And after getting some grip start to launch new cellphones with the right prerequisites for these markets. So, slowly growing and with the pace of the market. Or they can just develop a highly developed cellphone with all the gadgets and innovations and hope that the americans and europeans will catch allow. What they can’t do is to export their existing cellphones!!!
Either way, we are going to hear from them in the future!!!
Ipod Nano is just one step behind Iphone Nano
I few days ago I say all the news around the new announcements by Apple. I knew there was something cooking in the company, or Steve Jobs wouldn’t be there.
So he presented new things to the market, including the the Ipod Nano with camera. At first I was a little mad because I bought my ipod Nano a few months ago and now I want the new one, marketing I know.
But also a few months ago I say on the internet a lot of talk about a “Iphone Nano”, smaller version of the Iphone. So it got me thinking, the only thing the new Ipod Nano doesn’t have is the capabilities to do phone calls. The rest, the standard equipment that a normal cellphone has is there.
So this again got me thinking… What I believe Apple does, and very brilliantly, is that year after year is presents to the market their innovations but when they are presenting them, they are already on the verge of new innovations.
I might be wrong about this but I believe that after going against the high end cellphones, Apple is turning its guns to the medium end cellphone, that cost around 200€. This target is where the real money is and a cheaper Apple phone would make a lot of people, that thinks that the Iphone is expensive (in europe it can go has high has 600€), buy the new Iphone Nano. And turn the operators on it self, because a lot of the cellphones they sell are around that price. In their end they could just end as a service provider of call and internet.
If this happens, companies like Nokia, Samsung and Sony Ericsson would be hit hard. So now that Nokia is out of its protective mode and Sony Ericsson is due to launch a cell that would save Sony reputation with the Walkman, I believe the times that lay ahead are very Interesting. At least I hope so!
The mobile developer market has changed - Nokia N9000
In the old days the mobile developers that wanted to survive had to do what operators thought the consumer should have on cellphones. A lot a cellphones came fully packed with applications and characteristics that made it unpractical to use without the operators allow it to work. What happen is that the one’s that played game with the operators got their cell sold, the others didn’t.
In this environment Nokia did what it could and even tried to show the operators the right way… it didn’t work and sometimes the operators wouldn’t allow Nokia devices to be sold.
The operators were more interested in making a profit then allow the market to get grow, or at least to grow at their speed.
So in 2001 when the 3rd generation cellphone where already on the shipping lane the operators decided that the cellphone would first be 2,5 generation, cameras, video… and internet but very expensive.
Latter Android and Apple rocked the market when they developed cellphone for the consumer, and not for the operator, and don’t allow the operators to modify the software or to cut any of the capabilities.
Worst, for the first time consumer demand for this cellphones surpassed what any other promised and the consumers wanted it. Waiting lines, fan groups and a consumer looking for a cellphone not in a operator shop but in a Apple shop…
The american market served as a example and millions of consumers looked for the Iphone, Android and latter Palm Pre. This cellphones brought the american market, years away from the more developed european markets, to the top. Soon companies like Sprint, Verizon had to had this cellphone to help them on their battle to get more market share. The result was a satisfied consumer, more clients and a growing income from this new clients. Internet, Emails, Photos, Videos, Social Networks and GPS gave the consumers what they wanted and the developers are continuing to push forward.
The European consumers also wanted this cellphone and operators started to have meeting with the developers… The meetings where interesting, no software alteration, no reduced services and open internet at a low price. The visionary operators saw the example of the american market and said yes, even paid for a part of the cell, some going to 600€ and being sold in a pay plan of 24 months for as low as 50€. Other saw it as a bad thing and sold it for the full price, reducing the number of person who can buy it, but with similar pay plans.
But where was Nokia? Looking at their market share going down and seeing the other mobile developers doing what they couldn’t. Worst, this mobile phone had characteristics they had already developed and operators denied them.
This is a company almost known as a chameleon for developing a cellphone on the operators request, counting more that 40 models on the market, worldwide.
Today the Nokia replied to the operators, the N900 will not be modified, even if that means the cell will not be sold by some operators.
In my opinion this is the right decision, it’s for the cellphone developers the job to make cellphone for the consumers and not for the operators.
And with this Nokia is back to the market. The result can only be good.
“The most addictive game on Android Market” - Colorix
Colorix is a completely new product created by Awesome Software and Mobo Studio for the lovers of Tetris-like games. Rules are simple - just arrange falling marbles on the board. Three or more marbles of the same color lined diagonally, horizontally or vertically explode and disappear from the board.
MoMo #5 - Slides
Following our last event, before holidays, here’s the talkers slides:
- Mobile Games: A Practical (Business) Approach by Tiago Loureiro from VectorLab
- A view on mobile marketing by João Fernandes from Monday
For the next meeting we’re having an one day event. Some details here: Mobile Lisbon Summit
Mobile Multimedia: Minimizing Congestion, Maximazing Quality - Online Event
From web browsing to video-sharing sites, video downloads and streaming multimedia
July 15th, 11 am ET / 8 am PT / 4 pm GMT
The wireless data traffic mix is changing rapidly. In certain regions, video is already surpassing web browsing as the dominant form of traffic and even overwhelming existing networks.
How can operators use their network capacity most efficiently?
How can they provide a superior user experience with available bandwidth, especially for the growing population of mobile video consumers?
How can they remain competitive and profitable by not only controlling traffic, but also monetizing it?
To participate go here: http://tiny.cc/hiyZk
Personalizing and Enriching the Entertanement Experience Online Event
| September 23, 2 pm ET / 11 am PT (updated) | |
| New technologies are transforming entertainment by using metadata to deliver personalized content across many platforms such as the PC, the cell phone and the TV. These technology platforms are allowing consumers to discover compelling metadata that they might not know exists and opening up new business models for online retailers, portals, mobile, social networking, content providers and service providers. | |
| This webinar will discuss: What are companies currently doing to promote and personalize metadata across platforms? What new revenue opportunities exist thanks to this technology? It free! Go here: http://tiny.cc/miuYU |
|
MOBILE MUSIC NOW Event in London on the 9 of July (nearly sold out)
They only have a few delegate places left for Mobile Music Now, which takes place from 4.30pm on Thusrday, July 9th.
To avoid disappointment, contact Tom Roberts now to secure your seat:
Tel: +44 (0)1992 535647
Tom.Roberts@intentmedia.co.uk
Delegate places are £259 +VAT, which includes an informal three course dinner, the chance to speak one-on-one with our guest speakers and panellists, take home industry reports and networking with new and existing business partners throughout the evening.
The event, organised by Mobile Entertainment magazine, will gather 150 top execs from the space, including operators, vendors, labels, service providers and more.
Speakers include:
- Morgan Donoghue, head of music, Vodafone Global Services
- Barney Wragg, formerly head of digital at EMI and senior VP at Universal
- Alex Vlassopulos, head of business development (digital), Sony Music
- Antony Douglas, head of content, O2 Telefonica
- Jonathan MacDonald, MD of JMA
- Juan Paz, MusicAlly
- Tim Grimsditch, head of global product marketing (music), Nokia
- Frank Taubert, CEO of 24-7
Mobile Applications - Past, Present and Future
We are all acquainted on applications, these days all the operators and cellphone manufactures have a App Store somewhere or they are thinking in having one.
But where did it come from?
Well the most simplest of applications came with our early cellphones, alarm clocks, currency calculators, agendas, etc. The developers always had an eye for this particular thing. Why? Simple, they knew that in the future it would turn out to be something everyone would use. But, and this is the history on almost every innovation in the mobile area, the market wasn’t ready yet for the innovation.
In 2000 they were already talking about applications that would be linked to the internet and connection them to the most important things in our lives. As the internet connection was, until very recently, a very expensive thing, developers made funny applications for the mobile distributors to keep things alive.
The funny thing about the application revolution is that it happens in the country where the mobile industry was running late, EUA. Here the cellphone weren’t that sophisticated, the networks weren’t that advanced and you had too many operators and regulamentations. So nothing was expected from this part of the world. It was expected from Europe, where the big cellphone developers had their headquarters, companies like Nokia, Ericsson… The main reason for this was that these companies were developing cellphones for the operators and they wanted to slow things down. So innovation was replaced by “one step at a time innovation”. These created a gap between what the consumer wanted and that the developers were developing. And put many new innovations to the market on hold or waiting a better time to be released. This also created a lot a frustration with the developers that made application based on what was to come and it never seem to be coming.
So, in America, a company known for innovation and to have a fan follower list all over there world announced 3 years ago that they were launching a cellphone, one that had no rivals and one that ultimately would sake the market. They didn’t care about the operators request list, they wanted to create a cellphone based on they’re experience on the market, and they did. The Iphone when it was release was already the most waited objected in the world, next to the Harry Potter books. Its characteristics made it to a revolution and the other cellphone companies are still trying to cope with it.
One of the main characteristics of this cellphone was it was based on the internet and the platform allowed it to have very dynamic extras, like applications. Since then millions of application have been sold, Nokia launched its App Store and others followed and, even the operators did it to.
But why? Simple, more and more the applications are being design to help with out daily lives and the internet allow them to interact with our world. It allows the cellphone to transmit information we will later need, distance walked, jogging distances, our location and it also allow it to receive information we need, like twitter and other social tools. But this is not the end for this market.
Where is it going? Into our life’s.
Soon our home appliances will have a way to talk to us on our cellphone, say you want to turn your air-conditioner at home before you arrive, or you don’t know what kind of groceries you have, your frige will send you the list. Also it will enter into our cars, like when a alarm goes of, why not receive a warning in our cell? And into our offices, allowing us to almost get anything done from out cell and, not being at the office.
So this kind of content still have a lot to grow.
Music in the Mobile Area
As I former licensing manager for one of the biggest mobile content provider in the world I have my own views into the industry.
In the old days, artists would have to travel from town to town to sing, then came the records which brought in the companies, managers well, a whole industry was born. From the very beginning the music industry had close ties with the Media, Advertising and the TV. The model was great, scout for new talents, develop the current talents, launch records, advertise, shows, radio, TV and of course make money. This continued even when the Television set was launch, CD-Player (which brought in more money in the digitalizing of the old catalogues) and of course with the Internet. But things changed here and for the first time they could see a future where people would no longer need to buy records, CDs, they would just go online and buy it, digitally. When you’re leading you should set an example, this didn’t occur. The change came from the consumer, MP3 and Napster, sharing music and ultimately from the artists, by going directly to their fan’s online and selling the music without the industry, AKA, the Labels. Soon the “cat was out of the bag” and the labels were having difficulties controlling their own market, sales were coming down, the fan’s turned to the internet to get the latest songs and the artists would connect directly. Worse, new talent was being born and they didn’t needed the big labels to get known and to get thousands of fans, and of course, make money.
They reacted the worse way, copyright laws, closing sites and going against the consumers. I’m saying the worst way because they didn’t present a solution to the problem, they just wanted to protect their turf, logical thinking. But in doing this they sifted even more away from the fans and from the solution. This happen, I think, because in most cases the upper management were from the old school and tried to solve things their way.
Then in the early 2000 the mobile industry was born, and even at the beginning, the labels where suspected. I would be also, but the mobile industry was to become their biggest partner.
It started with polytones (do you still remember them?) and then with the Truetones, coming to the Realtones, and going to the ringbacktones and finally, the videotones. By the way, all this and the wallpapers, videos, applications and games. The first negotiations between the two industries made all parties understand the future and the potentialities. Why? Because for the mobile industry to sell they would have to pay the labels for each sale, for the first time they would earn money out of the digital domain, which was out of their control. Here even the Author Societies won, because in some agreement we would have to pay the original rights.
The mobile industry acted like a fresh of breath air to the labels and for the first time I could see I way we could work together in a way everyone won. The labels would have meeting and tell us who was “hot”, the new launches with dates and countries and we from our side would help they in promotion and buzz and sell in the internet and mobiles. They didn’t understand how we work, they saw results, not just in numbers but in the promotion and new ideas we brought to the table. They would cover the TV, Radio, Magazines, Internet, all the movers and shakers of the industry, and we would reinforce this by investing in Ads in TV, Magazines, Mobiles and Internet. Most of the times we would have more money to invest then them.
The biggest problems were the contracts, from a licensing perspective it’s nice to have all your doors “covered”, unfortunately this meant 40 to 100 page licensing deals, some had… well let just say, if you made a mistake you might awake the other day in a very dark place. Most of the deals were pay-per-shot or a percentage of our profit, normally 50/50 (in my dreams), normally 70/30 (70 to the label). And also, the time it took to close each contract… months! One took me a year to close, from the first contact to the signing of the contract by both parties. Others, hours or days, I work fast, it’s how we worked and how the mobile industry is paced, fast. It has to be now or in a minute it won’t matter.
After we learn from our partners we started to get contacted by smaller labels and also by band them self’s. This presented us with an opportunity of doing our selves the work of a label, It worked to, but it’s not our core business and we weren’t set up to do it.
So what happen to the music and the artist? They now have more and more opportunities to break into the market, they have countless online music shops to sell their music and countless other site to promote their band and music’s. They know that the big numbers are in concerts so they go out on turn, leave the sales to the internet, labels and the mobile area.
I know there is something missing here… The solution to the problem! Well I can only give my advice!
The current model for selling music online isn’t the last model. The future will pass for us, the consumer, to pay a monthly fee and we can download and hear every music we want. This solves our part, the consumer, but it created a lot a problems that need to tackled with. All the companies involved will have to have a standard reporting system so that everyone has one language. Without this delays, suspicions and not being able to react on-time, will consume the model for the industry. Also the industry must comprehend that the world is global, and they cannot say that a music will be launched on the X day in this country and then on another day in another country, this will only help people from seeking the music elsewhere. People don’t need CDs, the music is digital and travels everywhere at the speed of light. So launching worldwide and not letting anyone overturn them is key!
Yes there are other models but I would like to hear from you know. Tell me what you think about this model and of course, other models.
