We're covering some of the bigger stories out of Barcelona on the addictive blog. As the mobile industry gather there for the big event - around 50000 delegates - we're seeing all the big players staking out there territory
In our view mobile is coagulating around a
small number of key platforms that will dominate the next decade - on both
mobile and on the PC web. In our opinion those platforms are Apple,
Google/Android, Nokia and Microsoft - and the health and wealth of all the
other players will depend on their relationship with these platforms. Which is why the operators and the other handset manufacturers are so keen to retain their current place in the pecking order.
For example Adobe Flash are really keen to be the write once run anywhere development platform - but until they sort a way of working with Apple they will struggle.
Facebook will continue to be a key player but with 100 million mobile users we expect them to start to flex their muscles before too long; they will remain platform agnostic but could we see them do an Apple/ Google and launch their own handset?
The operators are seeing their ondeck audience evaporate and are really keen to develop their relationships with their customers to prevent them morphing into dumb pipes - and it may be that their role in facilitating mobile advertising and content can prevent this?
How soon the carriers forget when AOL thought everyone would suft the Net via their Web Portal in 1996!
Short memories.
http://guillaumeb.com/wait-why-did-we-dish-web-portals-again-part-1/2009/11/08/
Posted by: Cameron | February 17, 2010 at 07:09 AM