Mobile Internet market has provided a framework for emerging trends and direction. Blackberry applications, iPhone and ipad applications, android applications, windows mobile applications with their unique ecosystem has created what “may prove to be the fastest and most creative technology product / services launched, the world has ever seen.”

Mobiles are mini-computers

Mobile phones are mini-computers, this is true, but they are used in very different ways than a laptop or a desktop computer. The question is how do you use this to your advantage? Apple developed iAd platform for such specific purpose. Once you click an iAd you are taken to a full extravagant experience, unlike the app you may already have seen when you clicked the application.

Scrappy mobile internet market

Currently the mobile Internet market is fragmented between operators, Internet players and content aggregators trying to find a way to get on to the small screens, but in the coming future, handset-embedded browsers and automatic re-directs to mobile-adopted sites will make the surfing experience smooth regardless of the terminal. Then the users will select and stay with mobile services that give them what they expect from the Internet (browsing, e-mail, IM, media, networking…) with the addition of inherit differentiators of surfing-on-the-go – such as personalization, location, efficiency in presentation – into added value.

The challenge for service developers and providers will be to design, package and introduce these features so that it becomes a natural and easily accepted evolution of online communication, which will require a deep understanding of how users communicate and how they interact with mobile technology. It will be crucial that in an already complex networking environment, adding a mobile feature increases control and simplifies, not the opposite.

Japanese consumers are still much more advanced in their mobile usage, with 60 percent accessing the mobile Web and 54 percent using email, but USA and European consumers are catching on fast:

Mobile usage behavior in Japan, United States and EU5 (UK, Germany, France, Spain and Italy) –  2010
Percent of total mobile audience (Age 13+)*Data Collated from various sources

Japan
United States
Europe
Used connected media (browser, app or download)
76.1%
43.4%
39.1%
Used browser
59.5%
34.5%
26.3%
Used application
42.6%
31.7%
25.2%
Used messaging
Instant messaging
3.5%
17.6%
12.7%
Sent text message
40.2%
66.9%
81.8%
Email
54.3%
28.5%
18.9%
Accessed social media/entertainment
Social networking or blog
17.4%
21.5%
14.9%
Listened to music
12.7%
14.3%
24.5%
Took photos
64.1%
51.3%
57.2%
Recorded video
15.6%
19.5%
25.9%
Watched TV and/or video
22.3%
5.1%
5.7%
Played games
16.5%
22.7%
24.5%
Accessed financial services
Bank accounts
8.2%
9.5%
7.3%
Financial news or stock quotes
16.2%
10.2%
7.3%
Accessed retail/travel/weather
Retail site
7.3%
5.6%
4.3%
Classifieds
4.3%
6.7%
4.4%
Travel service
3.4%
4.8%
4.2%
Maps
15.8%
16.2%
10.9%
Traffic reports
12.7%
8.3%
6.2%
Weather news
34.3%
22.4%
13.6%

Enabling marketing networks in the mobile Internet

According to prior market projections, mobile data services were supposed to reach 50% of ARPU by now. On the contrary, it has only reached 12% – a major disappointment

The two most important factors for profitability in mobile internet are cost per Mbps and which services will consumers adopt – high perceived value and low cost to deliver. WiMAX is the closest thing we have to 4G. WiMAX allows carriers to scale up as needed, rather than building a complete network and waiting for customers to come. WiMAX is currently the leading technology, but LTE is catching up.

The handset is the most important factor in customer acceptance. It must be compelling to the subscriber. Unfortunately, there are no really good devices yet. Devices like the iPhone are accelerating efforts to create the best platform. Think of the device as an extension of the user. Devices and platforms will determine the success of platforms.

So the Mobile Internet in the coming future is a changing trend that everybody needs to cope up with to get the best out their Business.

For more details on the changing Mobile technological trends visit our blog section here.