Opinionated comments on mobile phone industry news
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All entries are written by Anders Borg, CEO and Consultant of Abiro, that has a long experience in strategic planning, developing embedded and Java software, usability aspects, and the mobile phone industry in general. You can also read the latest Mobile News entries on your phone via wap.abiro.com, and we provide many News Feeds from popular news services. For advertising and contribution queries, please use the feedback form. News feed (local) FeedBurner Feed
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Saturday, July 29, 2006
What makes mobile communities tick?
This is feedback from a conference held by MEX in May.
I have a slightly different view on the summary:
Quote: The challenge is how to combine all building blocks on the small mobile screen size.
No, it's simple, just mobilize existing social network, IM and blogging services. The phone's camera comes in handy for blogging and user profile editing. The display and keypad work fine for IM etc etc. You don't need to see e.g. users' profiles and the IM view simultaneously etc.
Quote: What can mobile add for existing communities? Privacy. Other people can’t oversee what you are doing.
There can't have been anyone below 40 in the panel, based on the above conclusion. That's definitely missing out on a few important benefits, like:
* Access on the go.
* Proximity services, like locating friends etc.
* Younger people are more likely to have a mobile phone than their own PC.
* Younger people have more privacy on their phone than on let's say the family PC.
* Possibility to use the camera for photo and video blogging, and profile editing.
* Possible to record podcasts on the go.
etc etc.
Quote: What are the technical challenges? Steep learning curve. Partnerships are key to the market.
It's granted that traditional Internet-focused companies don't know much about mobile technology, but there are certainly other companies that do.
Quote: In using the mobile version you may no longer be anonymous (and want to be).
Why? You are logging in to an Internet service whether from a phone or a PC, so the same privacy principles apply. It's granted that if the phone number is used for voice calls, SMS and MMS in relation to the service there's no privacy, but then don't use those facilities in the service. The service could though hide such info and make calls and send SMSs etc on behalf of a user (as a proxy).
Quote: It may be better to create the community firstly on the phone and then move it to the PC Internet space.
Like reinventing e.g. MySpace on the phone? That makes no sense. We don't need separate communities for mobile vs PC access, still I know many will try (and many will fail).
Quote: It’s difficult to make money when the operator takes 50% to 70%.
Operators simply have to change their business models. The operator's role is simply to provide the bit pipe. Leave the rest to others.
MEX - the strategy forum for mobile user experience - Building mobile communities
I have a slightly different view on the summary:
Quote: The challenge is how to combine all building blocks on the small mobile screen size.
No, it's simple, just mobilize existing social network, IM and blogging services. The phone's camera comes in handy for blogging and user profile editing. The display and keypad work fine for IM etc etc. You don't need to see e.g. users' profiles and the IM view simultaneously etc.
Quote: What can mobile add for existing communities? Privacy. Other people can’t oversee what you are doing.
There can't have been anyone below 40 in the panel, based on the above conclusion. That's definitely missing out on a few important benefits, like:
* Access on the go.
* Proximity services, like locating friends etc.
* Younger people are more likely to have a mobile phone than their own PC.
* Younger people have more privacy on their phone than on let's say the family PC.
* Possibility to use the camera for photo and video blogging, and profile editing.
* Possible to record podcasts on the go.
etc etc.
Quote: What are the technical challenges? Steep learning curve. Partnerships are key to the market.
It's granted that traditional Internet-focused companies don't know much about mobile technology, but there are certainly other companies that do.
Quote: In using the mobile version you may no longer be anonymous (and want to be).
Why? You are logging in to an Internet service whether from a phone or a PC, so the same privacy principles apply. It's granted that if the phone number is used for voice calls, SMS and MMS in relation to the service there's no privacy, but then don't use those facilities in the service. The service could though hide such info and make calls and send SMSs etc on behalf of a user (as a proxy).
Quote: It may be better to create the community firstly on the phone and then move it to the PC Internet space.
Like reinventing e.g. MySpace on the phone? That makes no sense. We don't need separate communities for mobile vs PC access, still I know many will try (and many will fail).
Quote: It’s difficult to make money when the operator takes 50% to 70%.
Operators simply have to change their business models. The operator's role is simply to provide the bit pipe. Leave the rest to others.
MEX - the strategy forum for mobile user experience - Building mobile communities
