The industry reflects, looks ahead

By Staff, ZDNet Asia
Friday, March 14, 2008 06:39 PM

Saumil Nanavati, president, Sydus

Saumil Nanavati,
Sydus
Hopefully, in 2008, we will see more "juiced" up versions of "local" search as envisioned at the beginning of 2007. Services and business will need to be listed accurately in local search engines and applications that are integrated with mobile search, such as Google, Yahoo and MSN.

Name three hot technologies to watch in 2008, and explain why.
Nanavati: The first is mobile music by streaming or on demand. The mobile music market is set to explode in the coming year. Companies are moving more toward digital advertising with mobile set to take a large share of the pie.

However, for consumers that the brands want to reach out to, advertising is not the key issue. DRM (digital rights management) and the associated initiatives by RIAS and similar bodies are intent on raising awareness and punishing those they feel infringes rights.

Sydus sees that subscription and download-based models are part of the solution but to really serve customers and grow the mobile content scene and the associated mobile data market, companies need to move towards other alternatives like streaming and on demand services.

Next is social networking in countries like India. Social networking sites/software will be one of the hottest technologies to watch in India in 2008. Google's Orkut currently has about 64 percent market share, making the service one of the most popular social networking sites in India.

Nasscom estimates that there will be around 20 million broadband subscribers in India by 2010. Social networking sites like Orkut and Facebook provide a virtual place for India's netizens to gather, connect and share anything from ideas, to multimedia, to social relationships.

Mobile telcos like Airtel, Essar, etc are jumping onto the bandwagon, seeking to add social networking applications to their mobile offerings in order to retain and capture their audiences.

And, of course, search will become more mobile as it moves beyond the traditional confines of being browser-based. Applications, widgets will serve to provide that additional mobility to laptops and mobile devices for consumers who need information on the go. Coupled with cheaper unlimited data plans, like what we have seen with the Blackberry, iPhone, etc, we can expect search to become more mobile as road warriors stay longer away from traditional office environments.

Hopefully, in 2008, we will see more "juiced" up versions of "local" search as envisioned at the beginning of 2007. Services and business will need to be listed accurately in local search engines and applications that are integrated with mobile search, such as Google, Yahoo and MSN.

What is your prediction for the mobile Internet in 2008?
Sydus predicts that the Internet-capable mobile device will become even more personal in 2008. Functionalities are ever-increasing in the device but importantly more consumers will be willing to download more applications/programs like the Sydus player, video and other multimedia tools to enhance their lifestyles.

These lifestyle applications will make use of the Internet to provide access to either content, services or products. We note that industry players such as Yahoo, Google, Universal, and Apple are making huge investments in producing mobile applications for use by consumers and opening their SDKs (software development kits) for developers to create more tools. This can only serve to make using the Internet through mobile devices more attractive and productive for the individual.

The mobile Internet will be the enabler of emotive connections, providing for more content and services to be offered directly to the consumer and will serve as a platform for brands to customise their outreach efforts.

Mobile marketing will be refined through consumer choice. 2007 saw the development of various models and the success and demise of many businesses. 2008 will see the control of power shift to the consumer and foster an approach where high-level segments and communication to niche groups occur. The mobile platform (from hardware to Internet to marketing) will allow brands to reach out to consumers on a truly one-to-one level based on their desired manner of interaction.

What was the most overrated technology product in 2007?
The most overrated technology in 2007 was the iPhone. For a device that has changed the perspective of many consumers as to what a phone "should be", it has rather basic multimedia functionality.

We appreciate that Apple has encouraged the development of third party software for the iPhone. This can only serve to increase the attractiveness of the iPhone. Compatibility with other Apple assets, hopefully in upcoming versions, will also help to convert more people to the iPhone. As will ensuring that it remains unlocked when it comes to Asia.

The Asia-Pacific region is a leader in terms of mobile handset ownership and will be expected to continue to lead the way in forming sustainable mobile music consumption habits. The current iPhone arriving in Asia officially a year later than the US is an issue that Apple needs to reconsider for its successor version.

Social networking sites...
... Are doors to provide targeted outreach to niche communities that are not interested in mass messages. These sites allow for more targeted communications to take place between brand and customer without the traditional need to push mass messaging.

As a trend in 2008, we will see more consumers veer towards entertainment on the PC or mobile and will download applications that allow them access to content, wherever they are. Social networking sites like Facebook have developed widgets that sit on mobile devices allowing this form of instant access and gratification.

Applications that are compatible, through embedding code into social sites, or mobile downloads (through WAP) are key to reaching out to targeted audiences since they provide value to the consumer and a platform for brands.


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