In this issue

• Third quarter reports and economic forecasts
• Identity proof required for cell phone purchase?
• My phone, my friend
• For handset junkies everywhere
• Masthead

Third quarter reports and economic forecasts

The third quarter of the year has closed and financial reports are reflecting what we’ve all seen in our own pocketbooks. Economic uncertainty and turmoil in the financial services field have increased the likelihood that tech spending will slow even more than executives had expected just a week or two ago, analysts say. "All the vendors are struggling with a major slowdown in tech spending on both the business side and consumer side," said Bill Whyman, technology analyst at International Strategy & Investment.

"Some companies are still trying to put a good face on things," he said, "but the reality is we are likely to have very, very weak spending in 2009. We believe that tech revenue growth will fall sharply over the next three to four quarters." http://tinyurl.com/gomo065

Those reporting earnings this week seemed to reflect some of this caution amidst optimistic returns. Microsoft reported record earnings in its first fiscal quarter of $15 billion, a 9% increase over the same period last year. "In a challenging economic environment, the first-quarter results exhibit the strength and diversity of our business model," said Chris Liddell, chief financial officer of Microsoft. Microsoft’s business outlook reflects a balance of risks and the likelihood of a continued economic slowdown. The trends seen late in the first-quarter are now forecasted to continue, whereas previous expectations were for the economy to improve in the second half of the fiscal year. http://tinyurl.com/gomo066

On a note of celebration for the giant, it was just six years ago last week that Microsoft shipped its first Windows smartphone. "Microsoft has spent the last 27 years creating software that improves the way people live, work and communicate," said Steve Ballmer, on that historic occasion. "Now, we're able to deliver a familiar and powerful software experience on a mobile phone to people around the world. Smartphone redefines what people can expect from their phone, offering them voice, e-mail, MSN® Messenger or Short Message Service (SMS). We're very excited to bring the Smartphone to market." http://tinyurl.com/gomo067 The enthusiasm continues.

AT&T is enthusiastic with the report of record earnings and record gain of new subscribers, based largely on their sale of Apple iPhones. The carrier added more customers in one quarter than it ever has before. AT&T Mobility reported 1.7 million net subscriber additions, a 40% increase from third-quarter 2007. A big chunk of that growth is due to the 3G iPhone launch during the timeframe. The carrier posted 2.4 million iPhone activations and 40% of them were new customers. The carrier also said having the iPhone in its ranks brings in more higher-value customers with a 1.6 times higher average monthly revenues per user (ARPU). During its conference call, AT&T Mobility said devices such as the iPhone and other smartphones are key to growth and success at this point. More than two-thirds of the carrier’s net adds came from customers choosing an integrated device. http://tinyurl.com/gomo068

CEO Steve Jobs joined Tuesday’s conference call to assure investors that Apple Inc. will maintain its gross profit margins despite the economic downturn. If Apple’s customer base is under financial strain, consumers are likely to postpone an Apple purchase, rather than seek a cheaper brand, Jobs told analysts. And the CEO delivered news of “a spectacular performance” by the iPhone 3G, which sold 6.9 million units worldwide. Apple executives declined to give a breakdown between sales in the United States and internationally, but said international sales were significant. The company earned revenue of $7.9 billion in their 4^th fiscal quarter, and net profit of $1.14 billion, up from $6.2 billion and $904 million, respectively, in the year-ago quarter. Apple’s gross margin reached 34.7%, up from 33.6% in the year-ago quarter.

As iPhone ramped in more than 50 countries — up from 6 the prior quarter — it moved more than six times the number sold in the year-ago quarter. “We sold more phones than RIM,” Jobs said. Asked by an analyst whether Apple’s strategy of having essentially one SKU (stock-keeping unit) in an industry that’s 10 times the size of the PC market concerned Jobs. “Well, I wasn’t alive back then,” Jobs said. “But Babe Ruth had just one homerun, and just hit it over and over again.” http://tinyurl.com/gomo069 So it appears we can expect more of the same!

Samsung’s net profit fell by 44% in its 3rd quarter, however, mobile phones continued to be a bright spot, even in the economic downturn. The company sold 51.8 million handsets in the quarter and expects year-end numbers to top 200 million. http://tinyurl.com/gomo06a The results appeared to reflect Samsung’s push into emerging markets, aggressive handset pricing — possibly the factor cited earlier this year by Nokia Corp., which characterized the move as “unsustainable” — and massive marketing efforts. Samsung’s overall revenue reached $13.4 billion, up 15% over the year-ago quarter, while overall net income reached $850 million, down 44% over the year-ago quarter. Though Samsung’s telecom business — led by handsets — was tops in sales, that division’s operating profit was down 15% year-on-year and down 36% quarter-on-quarter. Handset revenue reached $4.3 billion, up 27% over the year-ago quarter. http://tinyurl.com/gomo06b

Identity proof required for cell phone purchase?

How would you feel about having to prove your identity and register with the government in order to have a cell phone? Wireless Federation reported that Guyana parliament has passed two most controversial bills in the parliament. One of the bills will authorize wiretapping and force cell-phone providers to register clients, as part of a push to fight crime. The second bill will require Jamaica-based Digicel and U.S.-owned Guyana Telephone & Telegraph (GT&T) to register whoever subscribes to them. Both companies have competed aggressively for clients after Digicel entered the market last year, and they often have promotional SIM-card giveaways in urban areas. Company representatives have said the proposed law would force them to end this practice or require copies of passports or identification cards. The approval comes as members of Guyana's two main opposition parties accuse legislators of violating citizens' privacy and worry the government will try to abuse the privilege. http://tinyurl.com/gomo06c

Lest you think this is something that is limited to a small South American country near the Caribbean, take note of this news from the U.K. The bother of choosing between an 18-month contract or a high up-front price may soon be the least of your worries when buying a new mobile phone, because you may soon be required to prove your identity before you're allowed a new handset. The government is said to be drawing up plans to force all UK mobile phone buyers to provide some form of identification, such as a passport or identity card - see where this is going? - before being be allowed to take delivery of, say, a shiny new iPhone or BlackBerry Storm. When you get your phone, the fact will be recorded by the Government, which will presumably make an explicit link between phone numbers and users' ID documents. A spokeswoman from the office of Richard Thomas, the Government’s Information Commissioner, told the Times that the requirement would apply to both contract and pay-as-you-go phones. http://tinyurl.com/gomo06d

My phone, my friend

We shouldn’t be surprised at efforts to tie our identity to our phones. Previous issues of Going Mobile have cited studies of how people feel about their devices, the physical distress they undergo if separated from them, and other social identity phenomena. ­The internet and cell phones have become central components of modern family life. Among all household types, the traditional nuclear family has the highest rate of technology usage and ownership. A national survey of 2,252 adults by the Pew Internet & American Life Project has found that households with a married couple and minor children are more likely than other household types—such as single adults, homes with unrelated adults, or couples without children—to have cell phones and use the internet. The survey shows that these high rates of technology ownership affect family life. In particular, cell phones allow family members to stay more regularly in touch even when they are not physically together. Moreover, many members of married-with-children households view material online together. http://tinyurl.com/gomo06e

­New research from US operator, Sprint Nextel confirms that the under-30 crowd is definitely texting in mass, and they're driving their parents to text, too. The number of adults who are texting has risen from just two years ago, when a 2006 Pew Research study cited that 13 percent of adults ages 50-64 used the text messaging function on their mobile phone. The Sprint study reveals that now 20 percent of adults ages 55-64 send text messages. Seventy-six percent of adults ages 55-64 who are texting are sending messages to their children. According to 2007 U.S. Census Bureau data, 57 percent of 50- to 64-year-olds have children ages 18-24. With those kids away at college or living in different cities, texting is a fast and efficient way for parents to stay in touch. According to a survey conducted by Opinion Research, a text is far more likely to elicit a quick response than voice mail. In fact, those under the age of 30 are four times more likely to respond within minutes to a text message compared to a voice mail, and 91 percent respond to a text message within one hour. Adults 30 and older are also quick to text -- and are twice as likely to respond within minutes to a text message as compared to a voice message. http://tinyurl.com/gomo06f

Of course, if we really wanted fast response, we’d be using a 130-year-old technology. Jay Leno demonstrated on his Tonight Show that two old geezers could send a message and translate it via Morse Code faster than two teens could text the same message. The message was, “I saved a bundle on my car insurance.” http://tinyurl.com/gomo070

For handset junkies everywhere

Motorola Inc., still struggling to return to sustained profitability, has entered the luxury handset market, following Nokia’s lead. This week the company announced the Aura handset for those who believe the Razr has lost its flair. The new handset will set you back $2,000. The launch’s timing aside — for many, the price tag may clash a bit with headlines of financial disasters sweeping the globe — the Aura appeared to reflect Motorola’s determination to make a design-oriented comeback of sorts. Indeed, the luxury phone segment is projected to garner as much as $11 billion by next year, according to ABI Research. That figure is expected to nearly quadruple in five years, the market research firm reported in August.

The profitable, luxury handset market already is being exploited by Motorola’s rival, Nokia Corp., whose luxury-line subsidiary, Vertu, is long established. Motorola, in fact, has already dabbled in the sector with a gold-plated Dolce & Gabbana Razr v3i, which sold at about $300 at the height of Razr-mania. In many cases, handset vendors have teamed with established luxury brands to include mobile phones in the latter’s product lines. (The LG Prada is an example.) But Motorola’s latest foray appeared targeted at the low-end of the high-end market. The Aura’s $2,000 price tag pales in comparison to Vertu handsets that sell for up to $300,000. The Russian firm of JSC Ancort appeared to set the record when it once offered (no word on sales) a platinum-cased, gem-encrusted handset for $1.3 million. http://tinyurl.com/gomo071

Masthead

This is issue #36 of Going Mobile. The stories that I refer to are all among the 300+ publicly published articles I scan each week, but the commentary is entirely my own and does not represent the views, opinions, or official position of Microsoft or the Windows Mobile management team or any of the sites or companies referenced herein. You can refer stories to me or make other comments below. I'd like to make this better each week.

In this issue

• Kill switch on Android?
• Motorola rolls out the Krave touchscreen/flip phone combo
• Yahoo! expands mobile voice search
• AT&T Mobility looks beyond handsets
• Academics predict growing cybercrime sophistication
• Masthead

Kill switch on Android?

An uproar erupted when iPhone users discovered a so-called remote kill switch on their phones—will it spur the same reaction in users of the G1, the first Android phone? In the Android Market terms of service, Google expressly says that it might remotely remove an application from a user's phone. "Google may discover a product that violates the developer distribution agreement ... in such an instance, Google retains the right to remotely remove those applications from your device at its sole discretion," the terms, linked to from the phone, read.

Android users might be more receptive to Google's remote kill switch than iPhone users were to Apple's for a couple of reasons. First, Google is being upfront about it. Apple didn't confirm the capability for the iPhone until days after a developer discovered it. In addition, Google says that if it does remotely remove an application, it will try to get users their money back, a question that iPhone users have wondered about in the case of an iPhone application recall. Google said that it will make "reasonable efforts to recover the purchase price of the product ... from the original developer on your behalf." If Google fails to get the full amount back, it will divide what it gets among affected users. Google may have more need to use a kill switch than Apple. That's because Apple vets applications before putting them into its Apps Store. Anything goes in Google's Android Market, opening the chances of malicious or otherwise unwanted applications appearing in the market. http://tinyurl.com/gomo05f

If only I believed in the benevolent watchdogs of society and technology.

Motorola rolls out the Krave touchscreen/flip phone combo

The Krave has a 2.8-inch touch screen and an interactive clear flip screen on top of it. The design is reminiscent of Motorola's Ming line of smartphones, and users can get one-touch access to features and services without opening the phone. "The clear, touch-enabled flip over the large, high-resolution touch-screen is nothing like you've seen and yet it's totally intuitive," said Ken Hallman, VP of Motorola's mobile devices, in a statement.

Users can make calls via the speaker or a Bluetooth headset without opening up the cover, or they can open it up to get the feel of a flip phone. The handset is a consumer-oriented device, but it does have access to Web-based and POP3 e-mail, 3G connectivity, and an HTML browser. The Krave has a full slate of multimedia options, as it supports the carrier's V Cast music, video, and TV services. Motorola's handset sports a 2-megapixel camera that can record video, and it can upload photos over the air to Web sites. There's also a standard headphone jack, visual voice-mail support, on-board VZ Navigator for directions, a virtual landscape QWERTY keyboard with haptic feedback, and an accelerometer. http://tinyurl.com/gomo060

Yahoo! expands mobile voice search

Users of some Nokia S60 handsets like the N95 can now use voice recognition with Yahoo's oneSearch 2.0 home-screen shortcut. Once it's installed, users can speak to find stock quotes, sports scores, and more. Yahoo said it also includes search assist, spelling suggestions, and real-time related concepts for more refined search results. Additionally, Yahoo Go 3.0 will integrate the voice search, and it can be downloaded onto select BlackBerry and Nokia S40 and S60 devices. The company said the voice-recognition technology is currently only available in the United States, the United Kingdom, India, Singapore, the Philippines, and Canada. Yahoo is also making a play for mobile developers with its Blueprint platform, and said it will enable content creators to write an application once and have it run on a variety of mobile operating systems. The company introduced the platform in September, and used it to build and optimize the oneConnect app for iPhone. http://tinyurl.com/gomo061

AT&T Mobility looks beyond handsets

Thanks to a new executive position, AT&T Mobility is attempting to expand the range of gadgets its network interacts with — and counter similar efforts by its rivals. The carrier announced the appointment of Glen Lurie to president of AT&T’s newly created Emerging Devices, National Distribution and Resale operation. Lurie will lead the carrier’s initiative to move beyond handsets and integrate new devices and applications onto AT&T Mobility’s network — including personal computers, mobile Internet devices (or mini computers), in-car entertainment and navigation systems, cameras and machine-to-machine communications solutions.

Verizon Wireless and Sprint Nextel Corp. have been talking up their attempts to open up their networks to a plethora of devices. Verizon Wireless last year announced a program designed for those looking to get their inventions and devices onto the carrier’s wireless network, while Sprint Nextel has long stated the goal of its mobile WiMAX push has been to host many different devices, not just handsets. AT&T Mobility said its re-organization is a key component of its business strategy to grow wireless penetration and develop new distribution models. http://tinyurl.com/gomo062

Academics predict growing cybercrime sophistication

Data—even on platforms such as mobile phones—will continue to be the primary motive for future cybercrime. That's one of the key findings in a survey released Wednesday by the Georgia Tech Information Security Center (GTISC). The report, called the GTISC Emerging Cyber Threats Report for 2009, outlined the top five areas of security concern and risk for consumer and enterprise internet users for the coming year. The GTISC said it expects threats to rise and evolve in the areas of malware, botnets, cyberwarfare, VoIP and mobile devices. It also foresees the continued sophistication of the criminal underground economy, in which cybercrooks peddle malware-for-sale kits and other programs. Risks are likely to target traditional computing environments and mobile applications, the report concludes. In fact, the researchers said they expect to see more mobile phone malware as a way for herders to expand their botnets, or networks of compromised computers. http://tinyurl.com/gomo063

On the other hand, criminals seem to still be dumb enough to get caught. For example, a suspected robber was arrested after he used a stolen cell phone to call a relative. According to police, a 68-year-old tourist was gambling at the Silver Legacy Resort downtown on Oct. 7 when he was struck in the head and knocked to the ground by a man who took his fanny pack that contained the victim's cell phone. The suspect used the phone to call a family member. When the relative tried to call back later, he instead got the victim who had reactivated the number on a new phone. The family member gave the victim the suspect's name. The suspect was arrested on charges of robbery and an enhancement for crimes against the elderly. http://tinyurl.com/gomo064

Masthead

This is issue #35 of Going Mobile. The stories that I refer to are all among the 300+ publicly published articles I scan each week, but the commentary is entirely my own and does not represent the views, opinions, or official position of Microsoft or the Windows Mobile management team or any of the sites or companies referenced herein. You can refer stories to me or make other comments below. I'd like to make this better each week.

In this issue

• 25^th anniversary issue
• Handset sales up and down
• It’s just so wrong
• Cruel fate awaits unwanted cell phones
• Masthead

25^th Anniversary Issue

Welcome to the 25^th anniversary issue of Going Mobile. No, it’s not Going Mobile’s 25^th anniversary, it is the 25^th anniversary of the first commercial cellular call. The call was placed on the 13^th of October 1983 to the grandson of Alexander Graham Bell in Germany and came from the president of Ameritech Mobile Communications at a ceremony held outside Soldier Field in Chicago. The call launched the first city-wide commercial cellular system.

You might be interested to know what kind of device that call was made on. Weighing nearly two pounds and 13 inches long, the Motorola DynaTAC 8000X used on that historic day had only 30 minutes of talk time, a far cry from the sleek, thin multi-purpose wireless handsets of today.

Today’s teens – the first generation born into a wireless society – will largely drive the next wave of innovation of the cell phone. According to the CTIA- Harris Interactive “Teenagers: A Generation Unplugged” online survey released in September 2008, teens envision future wireless devices that better fit their lifestyle. Teens also have set high goals for the mobile industry and are looking to mobility to fundamentally reshape the future. Among their preferences, they want phones to guarantee secured data access to the user only, present opportunities to be educated anywhere in the world, and bring users closer to global issues impacting their world. http://tinyurl.com/gomo059

Reports indicate they are also looking for more than 30 minutes talk time.

Handset sales up and down

The global market for cell phones should grow at rates much slower than expected next year as consumers delay buying new ones because of deepening economic concerns, according to forecasts from analysts. Maynard Um, an analyst with UBS, halved his forecast for 2009 global handset growth to 3 percent, pointing to particular weakness in Europe and North America. Ehud Gelblum, an analyst with JPMorgan, was more optimistic but still reduced his expectations for 2009 handset growth to 6.1 percent from 8.1 percent. Gelblum said he had based his outlook on consumer reluctance to upgrade phones, particularly in Europe, and "more modest" growth in China, one of the fastest-expanding mobile markets. http://tinyurl.com/gomo05a

At the same time, Tariff Consultancy indicates that in 34 emerging markets, penetration rates are forecast to rise from 46% in 2008 to 95% in 2013 according to a new survey. Already subscribers in the 34 countries total over 2.1 billion users (based on operator statistics as of mid-2008) which accounts for half of the world’s mobile users (based on ITU estimates). By 2013 the 34 countries will have grown to 4.3 billion mobile users and will account for around two thirds of global mobile users. By 2013, Iraq is forecast to have the highest mobile penetration rate of the 34 countries. In spite of the currently prohibitive cost of 3G mobile handsets, the networks being built out in these countries are all 3G and HSDPA. High-spending user groups in those markets are using 3G for VoIP and peer-to-peer applications and as an alternative to land-based broadband. http://tinyurl.com/gomo05b

It’s just so wrong

There is so much that is “not right” about this next story that I’m not even sure where to begin commenting. Police in Newark, Ohio have arrested a 15-year-old girl on charges of juvenile child pornography. Not rescued a girl—arrested her. She allegedly sent nude cell phone photos of herself to some classmates. Police are reportedly contemplating filing charges against the classmates for possession of child pornography. http://tinyurl.com/gomo05c

It is still too early to get further information on the AP story that was picked up by nearly every newspaper and television station in the country over the weekend. No further reports have been filed. But the premise bears examination. At what point can laws designed to protect a class of people be used to prosecute that class of people? As the father of a 15-year-old girl, I can’t begin to express my conflicting opinions about this. The young woman should be made aware of how serious it is to send photos of herself, in any state of dress, out to the public, and even if this was only to a boyfriend or girlfriend, the chances of distribution of the photo are astronomical. But arrested? Most laws regarding this and other juvenile exploitation crimes are written to prevent adults from preying on children. And most at least discount the severity if it is child to child. My opinion? A law is only as intelligent as the people enforcing it.

Or, if you would like, the people exploiting it, as in the case of Nebraska’s “Safe Haven” law. Safe Haven laws are designed to protect children from abusive or dangerous situations by allowing an adult to drop off the child at a hospital with no questions asked and not be accused of abandoning the child. This week a mother from Michigan drove 1300 miles to Nebraska to drop off her 13-year-old son at a Nebraska hospital. Unlike other similar state laws, the Nebraska law does not require the person dropping off the child to be a parent, nor does it specify an age-limit or residency for the child. Last week a 14-year-old girl from Iowa was dropped off at a Nebraska hospital by her grandparents. She has since been returned to her family. Some state officials are worrying that the State’s broadly written law could make it a dumping ground for unwanted children. http://tinyurl.com/gomo05d

Though not strictly a mobile communications issue, the well-being of children is an issue for everyone to be concerned with. We have shown twice this week that “the law” may not hold all the answers.

A cruel fate for unwanted cellphones

It is a completely different class than the fate of unwanted children, but we must mention the fate of unwanted cell phones. According to the Chicago Tribune newspaper, 100 million cell phones are retired each year in the United States alone, as people replace them with new, spiffier models. Some of these unwanted portable phones get stuck in drawers, where they repose unnoticed, sometimes for years. Others are tossed into the trash. That's bad for the environment, because they end up in landfills, where their batteries can leak harmful heavy metals into the ecosystem.

What happens to the obsolete phones that are turned in isn't pretty. They end up at a company like Sims Recycling Solutions in Chicago, which, the Tribune reports, processes 91,000 kilos of cell phones a year. Sims removes the batteries and crunches the phones to bits, and then melts the shards and rubble in furnaces. What comes out is an amalgam of metals - plus slag from the plastic and glass and impurities. The metal amalgam is sent to a different recycler that can extract valuable copper and aluminum and a little bit of gold for reuse in other electronic products. The slag goes to yet another recycling facility, where it's fashioned into things like sound-barrier walls that one sees along highways and around industrial plants.

But according to the Environmental Protection Agency, only 10 percent of discarded cell phones are recycled and reborn. That means there are millions and millions of them still passing the days in limbo in those dark, disregarded drawers. http://tinyurl.com/gomo05e

So here is a reminder that October is a good time to recycle your used cell phones, digital cameras, and digital music players. Several companies like AT&T have recycling bins available this month at their stores.

Masthead

This is issue #34 of Going Mobile. The stories that I refer to are all among the 300+ publicly published articles I scan each week, but the commentary is entirely my own and does not represent the views, opinions, or official position of Microsoft or the Windows Mobile management team or any of the sites or companies referenced herein. You can refer stories to me or make other comments below. I'd like to make this better each week.

In this issue

• Web functions key to mobile phone growth, says NTT Docomo
• Nokia Tube
• Sony Ericsson made Windows nicer
• Microsoft lands first mobile ad deal
• One in five 2^nd hand mobiles have sensitive info on them
• Masthead

Web functions key to mobile-phone growth, says NTT Docomo

Kiyoyuki Tsujimura, executive vice president of Japan’s NTT Docomo, delivered a keynote address at the CEATEC this week stating that growth in the mobile phone industry will depend more and more on "quality" Internet-based services based on "open" operating systems that allow handset makers to market their devices globally. Japan has reached a saturated market of 100 million mobile users of which 90% are Internet users and 80% are already on 3G networks. NTT DoCoMo, previously confined to the uniquely Japanese iMode development environment, now claims compatibility for its mobile handsets with Linux OS, with Google's Android and with Symbian OS.

For handset makers in this brave new world, development costs will drop, as any handset can be used by any operator, "More Nokia or Samsung handsets in Japan, or more Japanese handsets in other countries." It might also be possible, he added, to affordably customize handsets to the needs of each user, creating a package of applications the user prefers while leaving out any that he or she does not want. http://tinyurl.com/gomo04e

As Android, BlackBerry, the iPhone and a host of rivals all fight for share, it's clear that market success is all about applications and the underlying platform, says Judy Mott of Internetnews.com. With such frenzied competition, how do handset makers expect to break free from their rivals? The answer is in the platform, which sets the stage for advanced functions such as PC-like multimedia support and third-party application development -- features that industry observers see as critical to success. "Software is changing the soul of the smartphone and making devices much more special," Carolina Milanesi, research director for mobile devices technology at Gartner, told InternetNews.com. And with platforms becoming the key to next-generation applications, there is a continuing debate over whether open source or proprietary systems will ultimately provide the most fertile environment. http://tinyurl.com/gomo052

HTC is anticipates selling between 1.5 million and 2 million phones powered by Google’s Android operating system by the end of 2009, media reported. T-Mobile USA is making public the G1 in the United States on Oct. 22, and HTC expects to sell between 400,000 and 500,000 units in the fourth quarter. The projections of HTC’s sales are quite below in comparison to those of Apple’s iPhone 3G. It is reported that Motorola may be launching Android phones in the near future, further boosting the OS’s market presence. HTC’s CEO said that the G1 and Android will push development and applications of the networks for handsets in the future. http://tinyurl.com/gomo054

Nokia Tube

Nokia won't just beat Research in Motion to the touch screen punch but will be making a statement about its mobile device services strategy as it launched "Tube," its newest smartphone, in London last Friday. According to one research analyst who requested anonymity, Tube will illustrate how the Finnish handset maker will be utilizing mobile services going forward -- a competitive aspect that could push smartphone a peg above Google's G1 that debuted last week. Such differentiation would surely help Nokia in its quest to grab greater market share and traction in the US. It will also ratchet up what's clearly an already competitive industry headed into the lucrative holiday shopping season. http://tinyurl.com/gomo050

Nokia also announced last week, the launch of Qt Extended 4.4, a complete mobile and embedded development platform based on the open source Qt toolkit. It is designed with a modular architecture that provides building blocks for assembling a Linux-based software stack for various embedded devices ranging from phones to set-top boxes. http://tinyurl.com/gomo051

Sony Ericsson made Windows nicer

With Sony Ericsson's inaugural Windows Mobile device set to be launched in the coming days, the handset maker has revealed that it had to convince Microsoft to embrace plans to make the Windows interface more user-friendly. Sony Ericsson hopes the Microsoft device, first announced at the Mobile World Congress event in February, will appeal to 'fast living' professional users who want to be able to use their device for work and play. Keisuke Kakoi, head of product and application planning, convergence unit, said Microsoft's initial response to Sony Ericsson's plan to skin the OS with panels was not a positive one: "I still remember in the very beginning phase we disclosed our panel concept a little bit to Microsoft and [the] first reaction from Microsoft was 'no, no, no! Please stay [with the] Microsoft way, Windows way'. But we showed the panel application, [and] then Microsoft top management suddenly changed to, 'Yes, OK, you should do that'."

"They change their mind quickly. So I think this is one very simple example. We are now very much closely working with Microsoft, [and] they very much...understand our strategy with the panel concept. We are getting lots of help from them as well." http://tinyurl.com/gomo053

We spoke before of Sony-Ericsson’s movie trailer teasers promoting the imminent release of the Xperia X1 smartphone. The campaign is now in the seventh episode and continues to paint intrigue and suspense. http://tinyurl.com/gomo03a

Microsoft lands first mobile ad deal

Microsoft Corp. announced its first ad-syndication deal in the United States, touting a pact to deliver display ads on CNBC’s mobile Web site. The deal, which stems from last December’s online-advertising collaboration between the two companies, will see Microsoft serve as the exclusive third-party provider of ads to CNBC’s mobile audience of 1.1 million unique monthly visitors. Ford Motor Co. has signed on as an advertiser, the companies said, and campaigns will conform to Mobile Marketing Association guidelines. “CNBC brings premium financial ad inventory that enhances our existing offering,” said Brian Arbogast, VP of mobile services at Microsoft, “allowing us to attract and grow mobile advertising opportunities for our advertisers.” http://tinyurl.com/gomo055

Nokia, too, announced last week it has added a number of European publisher sites to its Media Network, part of its Nokia Interactive Advertising offering. The firm has high hopes for location-based mobile advertising in relation to its expanding network. "For the Media Network, we don't look for volume of inventory, we look for quality," said David Barker, director and head of publishers and partnerships, EMEA at Nokia, stressing the importance of working with premium publishers. We have cherry-picked the best mobile sites out there, with a focus on business orientated publishers. Mobile advertising can be very tacky, but we look for well trusted publishers and brands." http://tinyurl.com/gomo056

Chinese mobile advertising agency, Madhouse says that it has served over 2.3 billion targeted mobile ad impressions using its MadServing system during the first half of this year, nearly five times the number of total impressions delivered in 2007. Madhouse says that it increases the effectiveness of advertising campaigns by optimizing ad versions and accurately quantifying and managing the frequency of marketing material shown, clicked, or downloaded to every unique mobile user. Mobile ads served by Madhouse may be optimized for mobile phones with different screen resolutions for the over 2,000 phone models in China today. http://tinyurl.com/gomo057

One in five 2^nd hand mobiles have sensitive info on them

Just as AT&T and other organizations start their big push to recycle older mobile phones (four out of five estimated to be in desk or dresser drawers), new research from BT, the University of Glamorgan, and Edith Cowan University revealed that a significant number of mobiles that are bought second hand still contain sensitive company and personal information. The devices containing the greatest volume of information were discarded Blackberry devices which in a number of cases were left unprotected, despite having security features like encryption built in. Forty-three per cent of those examined contained information from which individuals, their organization or specific personal data could be identified creating a significant threat to both the individual and the organization. It is thought that this is the result of the increasing adoption and use of this type of device by organizations to support increasingly mobile workforces. http://tinyurl.com/gomo058

So, recycle that old device, but wipe it first. Make sure your contacts, favorites, phone number, and security codes are removed.

Masthead

This is issue #33 of Going Mobile. The stories that I refer to are all among the 300+ publicly published articles I scan each week, but the commentary is entirely my own and does not represent the views, opinions, or official position of Microsoft or the Windows Mobile management team or any of the sites or companies referenced herein. You can refer stories to me or make other comments below. I'd like to make this better each week.

In this issue

• Quiet week
• Movie trailers
• Does anyone use this feature?
• Masthead

Quiet week

It was a relatively quiet week in the mobile industry, unless you want to know who won the Indonesian network contract for Axis 3G network, (Huawei http://tinyurl.com/gomo04c) or who won the Qualcomm/Broadcom patent lawsuit, (Broadcom http://tinyurl.com/gomo04d for $19.7 million). So in spite of being a day late, it is also a short Going Mobile Newsletter.

Movie trailers

We spoke before of Sony-Ericsson’s movie trailer teasers promoting the imminent release of the Xperia X1 smartphone. The campaign is now in the fifth episode and continues to paint intrigue and suspense. http://tinyurl.com/gomo03a So, if mobile phones can use movies to launch a big promotional campaign, why shouldn’t movies use mobile phones? In "Eagle Eye," the Dreamworks/Paramount Pictures thriller set for release this weekend, the lead characters are driven to extreme acts by a mysterious woman who contacts them via their mobile phones. So what better way to promote the movie than through a mobile-marketing campaign? http://tinyurl.com/gomo049

Created for Paramount by Millennial Media, if you opt in to the campaign, you will be sent a voice message and then text messages by the same mysterious woman in the movie, promising all will be revealed on September 26 (the movie’s release date). "This groundbreaking campaign is an excellent example of how advertisers can creatively use today's mobile technologies to connect their content to consumers," said Michael Rosenberg, manager of national advertising at Paramount, in a release. "We are delivering a highly distinctive theatrical marketing vehicle which brings the 'Eagle Eye' film experience to its consumers in a new and exciting way." http://tinyurl.com/gomo04a

So, perhaps when we talk about three-screen presence (PC, Mobile, TV) we should be expanding the reference to include that 4^th, very big screen?

Does anyone use this feature?

For years I have brashly proclaimed that buyers choose a mobile phone for two reasons: To make phone calls and… You fill in the blank. The “and” could be SMS, email, music, calendar, or an alarm clock. I admit that as the market matures, the number of things a single user wants out of their device has probably increased, but I still believe that buying decision is made based on very few features.

So it comes as no surprise to me that a new study by WDSGlobal, a specialist in support and device management, reveals that only 20% of a phone’s services and features are typically used by a customer, and up to a quarter remain completely undiscovered. “For the most part, users struggled to list more than half a dozen services featured on their current mobile phone. Regular usage was largely confined to voice, text messaging, address book, camera and alarm clock. Users do dip into additional services, such as the music player, Internet and games, but we found that a large proportion of features remained completely undiscovered,” says Doug Overton, vice president of consulting and analysis at WDSGlobal. Service discovery, the company suggests, is now one of the most challenging barriers to mobile service adoption. http://tinyurl.com/gomo04b

Since there is so little news that I want to highlight this week, I will indulge myself in some opinion. Feature use, like a good murder mystery, requires motive, means, and opportunity. In his great keynote address at HCI Mobile this month, Dr. B.J. Fogg of Stanford University said much the same thing. To achieve target behavior, you must have three things:

1. Motivation: three factors: a) Instant gratification or instant pain. b) Anticipation of pleasure or pain. (hope or fear) c) Social acceptance vs. social rejection.
2. Ability (simplicity): six elements: a) time, b) money, c) physical effort, d) brain cycles, e) Social deviance, f) non-routine.
3. Trigger. Facebook is especially good at triggering. Do it right now.

By and large, mobile phone manufacturers, software manufacturers, and mobile operators are very big on including every possible feature and are reasonably good at selling the features. But very few (if any) are good at getting people to use the features. If the feature isn’t one of the two (okay, I’ll allow three) things that I bought the phone for, you have to motivate me to use it, make it easy for me to do, and provide an opportunity or trigger for me to do it.

Masthead

This is issue #32 of Going Mobile. The stories that I refer to are all among the 200+ publicly published articles I scan each week, but the commentary is entirely my own and does not represent the views, opinions, or official position of Microsoft or the Windows Mobile management team or any of the sites or companies referenced herein. You can refer stories to me or make other comments below. I'd like to make this better each week.