I have at least one regret in February and that is not attending the Mobile World Conference in Barcelona, my favorite city. So thank goodness for the splendid coverage at www.fiercemobilecontent led by Editor Sue Marek who spoke at our IMAG conference in Boulder last year.
Among the news reported was that twenty-four operators, including AT&T, Sprint, and Verizon, among others, and a few vendors have come together “to make it easier for application developers to create applications across multiple networks.” By most reports this initiative, called the Wholesale Application Community, seemed last minute and a little rushed, with its objectives not being completely clear at this time, other than this will not be an application store. Rather, it’s about getting developers connected and being “open”, whatever that means in this context.
I think Sue Marek nailed this in her “Editor’s Corner: “Perhaps this rushed proposal is a reaction to worries over wireless’place in the wider business scene. Research from Nielsen Research and commissioned by Tellabs, which surveyed 15,000 consumers across 15 countries found that media organizations, digital service providers and software develops are more appropriate application providers than mobile operators.”
This research is telling in that 63% of consumers surveyed are committed to using mobile application tailored to their personal needs but as a rule don’t expect these services from carriers who they associate with providing voice, SMS and the like.
For a more nuanced view of a strategy for wireless operators who put consumers in control of their content, have a look at the whitepaper, “Going Beyond the Application Store” at www.qualcomm.com. The author Michael Wallace, Senior Vice President and General Manager of Qualcomm Internet Services writes that “To win the battle for consumer loyalty in mobile, the industry must think beyond an application store to deliver an engrossing mobile experience that offers more than ‘anywhere, anytime’ access. It also need to be highly personalized and tailored for the individual, putting them in control of how they interact with and experience their content—all the while being easy to adopt and scalable.”
A corollary consideration is that, while consumers are using more mobile content, “current modes of discovery and usage—such as applications stores or operator portals—are limiting the mobile content experience from reaching its full potential.” Qualcomm research shows that 63% of mobile users would spend more time accessing information if it was easier to find. Eighty percent reported a problem obtaining content from their mobile devices. And 58% of users want content to move with them, regardless of the mobile device. The Yankee Group research cited notes that “App stores can become a victim of their own success, overwrought with too many redundant applications, lackluster offerings or the inability to wade through a sea of applications.” In short, consumers are feeling overwhelmed by the abundance of mobile content
This white paper is a rich discussion of the importance of content discoverability and portability that drive user engagement. Wallace writes that “In a world where consumers are in control of their content, operators and brands will need to collaborate to find new areas of value-added that they can provide the consumer. Brands will need to create an experience that fosters dialog beyond the initial sale, and operators will need to find a way to facilitate continued dialog while remaining relevant to consumers. Consumers will ultimately be loyal to the service providers who enable these engagements.”
Perhaps what is most useful about this analysis is it moves the discussion beyond sexy user interfaces to how to combine the power of the network and device to create an experience that resides with the consumers. This white paper also encourages a deeper discussion of genuine cross-platform audience engagement and “state management,” the ability to re-engage with content where you left-off. “Content can be offered as a service, such as a subscription that allows you to access the same content with any connected device. The model encourages ongoing relationships with incremental revenue opportunities.”
When content is “stateful” my daughter can listen to her favorite band on the web, pick it up on her mobile device as she leaves the house, and receive updates about the band’s tour dates in the area through a fan club app, based on her profile, preference and state.
Consumer brands are in a great position to own the customer relationship because their focus is on content. The operators are in a position to deliver the best content experience, in part because of their insight into consumer demographics and behaviors, location-awareness, billing relationship and a trusted brand. This white paper is a call to arms of sorts and a warning that operators, if they don’t take a consumer and brand-centric approach to content, they can fall victim to becoming dumb pipes. Providing a consumer content experience is “table stakes.” The white paper calls for foundational investments in technologies that improve discovery, portability and engagement.
Note the use of discovery, portability and engagement, words that have long been central to the magazine value position.
Charles McCullagh
