You are here: silicon.com > Networks > Mobile & Wireless

Mobile & Wireless

iPhone effect makes operators rethink handset strategy

2009: Fewer 'Swiss Army knife' phones

Tags: mobile broadband, operators, iphone

By Natasha Lomas

Published: 28 November 2008 14:47 GMT

Mobile operators are banking on iPhone-type devices to drive mobile web usage, while next year may also see more focus on handsets that specialise in a particular set of functions.

Speaking at the Informa Mobile, Broadband & TV Industry Outlook conference in London, Mark Newman chief research officer at Informa Telecoms & Media said: "Operators are now embracing the iPhone type model. Operators are coming to accept now that you put a device - and you align your device with your service - with your own brand."

Examples of other operator-exclusive devices are 3 doing a Skype and a Facebook phone; T-Mobile offering the G1 Android phone and Vodafone with the BlackBerry Storm, Newman pointed out.

He added: "With the consumer downturn we're going to see in the high street the mobile operators taking a more dominant position. So we have this nice alignment of the operator, the device, the service and the shop."

Newman predicted 2009 will see the development of "more practical" apps - with interest being shown by operators in the M2M area, as well as health and enterprise.

He added: "We believe there will be more lower-priced mobile internet devices - the iPhone has shown that there's an appetite for full internet browsing on mobile devices. [So there will be fewer] Swiss Army knives and more best in class devices - be it a Facebook phone, a Skype phone, an email phone, a music phone."

On the mobile broadband dongle front Newman warned increasing uptake and usage could have its downsides for operators - as he said there is a risk they have to continue ploughing investment into infrastructure to ensure there is enough capacity to cope with ballooning demand.

"People are using mobile broadband as if it's fixed," he warned and said dongle customers are beginning to ask "some nasty questions" about connection speed, indoor coverage, high bills and support services.

  1. Zones
  2. Management
  3. Networks
  4. Software
  5. IT Services
  6. Hardware
  1. Verticals
  2. Public Sector
  3. Financial Services
  4. Retail & Leisure

Read and write about internet access at the airports of the world at atlarge.com.

Natasha Lomas Exclusive: Jimmy Wales on what's next for Wikipedia Why Wikipedia needs geeks and why a life unplugged is unthinkable

Peter Cochrane Peter Cochrane's Blog: United breaks guitars? Customer service has changed forever


  • Jobs
Mobile Application Guru – Top Media Company - 50K - 65K – West London

A history of delivering top rate mobile applications across multiple platforms, including iPhone, Android, Window, Symbian, Blackberry and J2ME. The ...

C++ Software Engineer - Mobile Platforms, Symbian, Microsoft Mobile, Mobile Linux, iPhone, Blackberry; Cambridge, 40k + benefits/options

Experience on similar platforms such as Symbian, Android, iPhone, Mobile Linux and Java (including Blackberry) would also be an advantage. As part of ...

New Business Account Director - Mobile Software / Services

You will be experienced selling mobile services and solutions around Symbian, Android, iPhone, Windows Mobile, Blackberry or Java platforms and have ...

Agenda Setters 2009
Welcome to the ninth annual Agenda Setters poll – silicon.com's list of the top 50 most influential individuals in the technology and IT industries, from techies and CIOs to entrepreneurs and business leaders. Find out more in our latest special report.





Quick Sitemap Links: