The Mobi Blog.com

Emerging Mobile News

You can pretty much count on a new 3G iPhone come Monday. But redesigned MacBooks? Don't bet on it. Here's my take on what Steve Jobs will announce during his much-anticipated keynote at the Worldwide Developers Conference in San Francisco.

New iPhone
I'm almost certain that we'll feast our eyes on a new iPhone on Monday-one with access to speedy 3G networks along with build-in GPS, both features that are sorely missing in the original iPhone.

Heck, after all the fevered speculation, Jobs could find himself dodging tomatoes if he doesn't unveil a new iPhone.

Beyond that, however, the picture gets fuzzier. Will the new iPhone be thicker than the original, or thinner? Will the brushed-metal backing be replaced with a glossy black (or white) finish? There seems to be consensus on the new, glossy backing (which might scratch more easily than the old brushed-metal finish), but that's about it.

And there's more: rumors that AT&T might subsidize new iPhones to the tune of $200, along with a just-unveiled patent application that reveals plans for video recording and conferencing, instant messaging, and a blogging application. The AT&T subsidy rumor (first reported by Fortune) has been persistent enough to be plausible, while the newly published patent application gives credence to (if not confirmation of) hotly anticipated features like two-way video calling.

Finally: Will we get just one new iPhone, or a series of new models (and not just different memory capacities, mind you)? And when will the new iPhone be available in stores? My feeling is that we'll get just one new model, and that it'll go on sale later this month-but that's just my gut talking.

Odds: 3G iPhone with GPS (bank on it), thinner than original (50-50), glossy backing (almost certain, although I hope not), video conferencing (3-1), AT&T subsidies (50-50), more than one model (7-1), on sale Monday (5-1).

iPhone App store, new iPhone firmware
More of a fact than a rumor-and potentially more exciting that the 3G iPhone itself. Steve Jobs teed up the App store-which will feature dozens, if not hundreds, of native iPhone applications written by third-party developers-back in March, and the possibilities are limitless.

Besides the standard communications (IM, anyone?), productivity (an office suite?), and business applications, we're also talking games-many observers think the iPhone could rival the Nintendo DS and the Sony PSP as a mobile gaming device. I can't wait.

Jobs is also expected to unveil new iPhone firmware, which will include such goodies as full-on Microsoft Exchange support, enhanced IT and security features, and more, no doubt.

Odds: Already announced, so let's call this one fact.

Mac OS X 10.6 "Snow Leopard"
This one came out of nowhere just a few days ago-that Apple is set to release beta code for its next major OS release, just eight months after OS X "Leopard" hit shelves. Word is that "Snow Leopard" (that's the rumored code name, anyway) will be a "stability and performance" release for Intel-based Macs, and that it's geared toward optimizing mobile devices like the MacBook Air and the iPhone-and maybe even a new, tantalizing mystery device. It might seem a little early for 10.6 (which is supposedly slated to go on sale next January), but multiple blogs are claiming that it's a done deal.

Odds: 50-50 or better.

.Mac reborn as MobileMe
Apple's much-maligned, $99-a-year online service is about to get a makeover-or so says the rumor mill. New features will include over-the-air syncing of Address Book and iCal info between Macs and iPhones, as well as a new and improved Web interface that lets you browse your contacts and events from any Web browser (sounds pretty basic, but it'll be a big step forward for .Mac users, believe me).

Odds: Almost certain.

Redesigned MacBooks and MacBook Pros
Both the consumer and pro-level versions of Apple's iconic laptop lines are due for major design overhauls. Indeed, save a few tweaks here and there, today's MacBooks and MacBook Pros look pretty much like yesterday's iBooks and PowerBooks. But what little chatter there's been about redesigned MacBooks at WWDC has more or less died out in the past several days. I'm not feeling it.

Odds: 10-1

"One more thing ... "
It's the phrase Macheads live for-a final, hold-your-breath moment when Steve Jobs unveils some cool new device no one quite expected. Back in January 2007, "one more thing" turned out to be the original iPhone. Assuming the 3G iPhone isn't the "one more thing," what could it be?

Well, there was talk last month of a potential iPhone-like tablet device powered by Intel's new Atom processor, but Intel quickly downplayed the comments that sparked the rumor.

And another factor to consider: There was no "one more thing" at Macworld back in January, much to the disappointment of the Mac faithful.

Anyway, there's really not much to go on here. Maybe a 3G iPhone announcement is enough for WWDC. Then again, Jobs loves surprises.



TheMobiBlog.com for Emerging Mobile News 2008

Emerging Mobile News
Last year Apple changed the smart phone industry forever with the release of its wildly popular iPhone device. While other similar devices had been on the market for years, the iPhone used Apple’s unparalleled marketing prowess to quickly establish itself as a major player in the space. Plus, it just looked damn cool.

Still, while the iPhone was unquestionably a hit with consumers, it wasn’t as fully embraced in by businesses, which are the bread and butter of the smart phone industry. Granted that wasn’t necessarily Apple’s intended target with the first iPhone but it was still considered a drawback, especially since the device couldn’t synch to an enterprise mail server like Exchange. As a result Research in Motion’s Blackberry device continued to be the de facto standard when it came to business smart phone users.

At the same time, those with Blackberry and other similar smart phones, after seeing the rich capabilities of the iPhone began to wish they had some of those features too. Sensing the proverbial blood in the water, Apple announced earlier this year that the new version of the iPhone, which will be released next month, will have the ability to connect to an Exchange server.

In response, Blackberry appears to have adopted many of the popular iPhone features, from a much more lush UI to more media options. The company also launched a national television campaign, designed clearly to target those still on the fence about getting a smart phone.

Both of the new versions of these stalwart smart phones are a boon to digital marketers. Probably the most important change is the ability of the Blackberry 9000 to (finally!) have the ability to properly read an HTML email as intended. The iPhone will also tap into the much more robust 3G network, which will mostly notably impact its video capabilities. Both devices will also put a renewed focus on Location Based Services, albeit, not surprisingly, in different ways.

The specific details for their respective LBS plans have yet to be revealed but Google has already announced numerous plans for its Android mobile platform to play a significant role in the new iPhone. One particularly interesting potential iPhone 2.0 feature that has been fiercely debated is the apparent ability to both order items from walking past a store, like Starbucks, and receiving an alert when the order was ready.

While not exactly a revolutionary concept, if this indeed becomes a feature of the new phone, then perhaps the long-stalled LBS revolution will finally commence. Then we’ll only be maybe one year behind the rest of the world in this regard.

Regardless of which device ultimately wins the hearts and minds of the business road warriors out there, the battle will usher in a whole new generation of smart phones, with LG, Nokia and others already planning to have their own killer devices out there in the months to come. With advances in IP telephony, the rise of Skype and Google’s intriguing Android platform, it’s also quite possible that within a couple of years, consumer will no longer even have to be dependent upon a cell carrier for their device. And that is something mobile marketers will whole heartedly embrace.

Read: 101 Gadgets That Changed The World




The Mobi Blog for Emerging Mobile News 2008

Emerging Mobile News
E-commerce without transacting personal or financial information, without the Internet, even without a computer. Impossible? Not anymore.

Amazon.com is pushing the m-commerce envelope with the launch of Amazon TextBuyIt, a new way of mobile shopping that bypasses its mobile web site, providing consumers an entirely different path to merchandise when away from a computer.

Amazon.com customers who have set up accounts with default shipping and financial information via the e-commerce site can find a product they are looking for and complete a purchase using TextBuyIt.

A customer sends a text message to the telecommunications short code “AMAZON” (262966) with the name of a product, search term, UPC bar code number, or ISBN code for books, and within seconds Amazon.com replies with products that match the search, along with prices.

To buy an item, a customer replies to the text message by entering only the single-digit number next to an item. The customer then receives a brief phone call from Amazon.com with the final details of the order, then confirms or cancels the purchase.

When a customer purchases something for the first time using TextBuyIt, Amazon will ask for an e-mail address and the shipping ZIP code on the Amazon.com account. With this information, Amazon.com uses the customer’s default settings for payment method, shipping address and shipping speed to complete the first purchase and future purchases from the same phone.

“It’s great that you do not have to transact personal or financial information using the phone. That breaks down a common online barrier,” says Vidya Drego, senior analyst at Forrester Research Inc.

Challenge to retailers

In the realm of m-commerce, the most significant thing about this new offering is that it does not require consumers to have Internet access on their mobile phones.

Use of text messaging is far more common than use of the mobile web. This year 46 million U.S. mobile phone users, or 19%, will access the Internet from their phones, while 166 million, or 69%, will send text messages, JupiterResearch projects. Thus, adding the text message component to its m-commerce offerings means Amazon.com has vastly increased the number of consumers who can access its merchandise via mobile phones.

“This is fantastic for a user interface because text messaging is so commonly used,” Drego says. “Text messaging is way up there; the mobile web, not so much yet.”

As a result, TextBuyIt could potentially affect bricks-and-mortar retailers, m-commerce experts say.

“This is huge,” says Nikki Baird, managing partner at Retail Systems Research LLC. “Retailers better get on making product information available on consumers’ phones right away; otherwise, consumers will be getting that information from Amazon—and buying products from Amazon while standing at the other retailers’ shelves in stores.”

The text message format is an important stepping stone to mobile web sites, she adds. “There eventually will be a much richer experience available on mobile web sites,” Baird says. “But if retailers wait for that before creating a mobile presence, they will be hopelessly behind.”




The Mobi Blog for Emerging Mobile News 2008

Emerging Mobile News

Banks will become phone companies and telecom companies will become banks. Mobile payment systems, micropayments, mobile phone credit card transactions and loans. Economic impact of remittances from foreign workers using SMS credit to avoid foreign exchange transaction costs.



How biometrics fingerprint technology will allow large mobile phone payments. Commissions and interest charges on loans. Impact of revenues from American Express, Visa, Delta, Access, Mastercard moving to mobile phone transactions. Conference keynote speaker and Futurist Dr Patrick Dixon.

Read About Mobile Barcodes and How There Changing The Future of Mobile



The Mobi Blog for Emerging Mobile News 2008