Trends of The Day

As a follow up to our post on 2008 being the year of the Mobile Game, we would like to revisit a great article from ReadWriteWeb that outlines their definition of Mobile 2.0, and its comparison to Web 2.0. This is really important to us here at Movaya, because it really makes clear why our business model is spot-on, and that the mobile world is indeed opening up here in the US.

Mobile 2.0, according to our definition, closely matches what you will read below. But the bottom line is that mobile 2.0 will be reached when mobile websites are ubiquitous and meet or surpass the visitation numbers of regular websites. It will be at this point that electronic commerce conducted on mobile web sites will be significant.

From ReadWriteWeb: What we mean by 'mobile 2.0' is another (r)evolution, already started, that will dramatically change the web and the mobility landscape that we currently know. The idea is that the mobile web will become the dominant access method in many countries of the world, with devices that become more hybrid and networks that become more powerful - everywhere in the next decade to come. (www.readwriteweb.com, Dec 11. 2006)Further, the article outlines the main components of mobile 2.0. These points were made in December of 2006, so we have added our comments in BOLD face to show the progress:

1) Openness: open standards, open-source development and open access - creating more options for the user, not enclosing them in the walled gardens currently (still) used by operators. Google's Android, Verizon's new effort to open up, ATT's claim as the 'most open' network. All three of these announcements have happened in the last 6 months.

2) The context of accessing the network and associated web services needs to be a positive user experience. For example for mobile search, the context includes: browser type, different device functionalities, security issues, display on a small screen, how to insert ads, etc. Associated with this is the usability experience of the devices, applications and services - and other components. For a more detailed analysis of context and the mobile web, see this article I wrote for gotomobile. The iPhone proves all of this correct, and now all the OEMs are racing their iPhone slayers to market. The ability to experience the 'web' on a phone is going to rapidly improve in 2008. Soon, there will be no WAP, it will all be Web.

3) Affordable pricing to use the network to access content and services. Data plans are becoming cheaper, and wireless carriers are now offering 'all you can eat' plans for as little as $20/month. Prices should continue to drop.

4) More user choice in the ways to communicate and share experiences with others (social interaction). Social Networking is all the rage on mobile devices, with numerous start-ups entering the race. Facebook and MySpace are now mobile. Devices are now made to order for all types of communication: voice, email, SMS, instant messaging, faxing.

5) Intelligent 'aware' applications and devices that know where you are; location 'aware' applications seamlessly integrated. Location based services (LBS) are being installed on all new devices, and applications utilizing this tech will hit critical mass this year.

6) New business opportunities coming to market, which may or may not connect to operators networks; think RSS feeds, alerts to SMS, Bluetooth and Wi-Fi Entertainment download zones and access spots, Podcasting to your mobile, Streaming Videocall to TV, Moblogging, Video blogging and media sharing applications, Click to Call (a phone number tagged into a mobile web or WAP page), Mobile Search, and last but not least VoIP tools & services. All of the above are coming true as more and more devices utilize WiFi and/or 3G networks. And, numerous companies big and small are getting in on mobile TV, movies, streaming video, blogging and more. And all of this started up in 2007.All six points made by ReadWriteWeb are dead on, and provide a great foundation for the definition of mobile 2.0.