Thought Garage: Consumers and Carriers, not Content, is not yet ready!
Consumers and Carriers, not Content, is not yet ready!
Read a news story on ABC News, posing an intriguing question "Who needs mobile Apps?" based on analysis from CTIA Wireless IT & Entertainment 2006 conference responses. Read it here.
The article by PC Magazine, says consumers and carriers have too many choices of content and Mobile applications. Over 300 exhibitors showcased their products in the conference.
Irony is that Carriers do not know what consumers want, so they are in a dilemma to decide what will fare better and give them better margins. Consumers on the other hand are just waiting for their carriers to choose the best for them. Remember, that carriers still maintain the Walled Gardens, means that Consumers can not get what ever they want but can only choose from what carriers offer. But in reality, carriers are desperate to introduce new Mobile data applications to make a buck out of their networks, as voice is fast becoming a commodity and can no longer provide the margins they enjoyed.
There were many questions around, do consumers need any of these applications? Will they pay for them? Can carriers make profits of any of those applications? While there is definitive and right answer to any of those questions, based on what the rest of the world experienced, most mobile applications are not 'needed' as such, but most of them greatly enhance the productivity, fun, communication, way of conducting business and redefine a new life styles around them. Lifestyle is not 'needed' but essential for each one of us. So are the Mobile applications. Once we start using them, then only we will realize how hard the life had been without the mobile.
So, Who needs Mobile applications? All of us. To live a better life style. And for carriers, they are just desperate to introduce the applications for their own survival and deep pockets and in search of next best killer application. Will they find it? Only we, the consumers can decide.