There are several
unique aspects to mobile that make a Mobile Web 2.0 proposition very attractive: location,
voice interaction and, obviously, mobility. For this post, I want to focus on
today's limiting factors. A future post will address the enablers mentioned
above.
There are several limiting
factors as well: screen size, bandwidth, lack of APIs and current business
models that require strict partnerships and customer lock-in. The two most
salient of these are the API issue and the business model issue. Screen size,
bandwidth and other UI issues are being addressed by a lot of very smart people
and improvements are seen every day. Just recently, for example, we have heard
about various carriers HSPDA plans (Cingular, Orange) to address the bandwidth
needs.
The API and Business model
questions are a bit more complex given that users are still "locked"
to a carrier's network and the richness of the browsers and devices is not at
the same level as those on the programmable web. A PC is still more powerful and
there are significant APIs available for core services on the web. On the other
hand, openly available APIs for mobile services, such as location, are not easy
to come by, thus limiting innovation and the growth of Web 2.5 to 3.0. If one is
to look at Yahoo! Go and Google Local Mobile, they are very good, user friendly
applications that have significant limitations to be mass market. First, Google
Local Mobile requires the user to enter his location; not so easy to do if one
is driving. In addition, the output is text and map on a screen; again not so
useful if one is driving. If a carrier were to provide location APIs,
this application could be vastly improved. Currently the Verizon Wireless mapping and directions application is the best use of location on a mobile device.
Once this business model can be sorted out, we will
see a siginifcant jump in the integration of the mobile device and mobile
experience into the social web. Of course, there are examples of this type of
service available now, particularly with mobloging and photoblogging from the
cell phone, however, the data revenue goes straight to the carrier and the third
party pay model that Google and Yahoo! have mastered on the web is not yet in
place in the mobile world.
If
carriers are to benefit 100% from the communications shift from point-to-point
to many-to-many, they will need to get beyond their intrinsic concern of
Google's and Yahoo's threat. In turn, those two Internet players will need to
understand that the carriers have a legitimate, robust business model that is
serving customers well and they will need to be open partners with them. If all
parties look at this from the vantage point of consumers, a service like
Verizon's voice enabled driving directions mashed-up with a Google Map could be
conceived and delivered to customers within a viable business model for both.
This business model would likely revolve around data revenue and advertising
revenue as well as potentially referral revenue.
tags:
web2.0, Web+2.0
Subscribe
