Musings on Mobile World Congress

 

Mobile World Congress, formerly called 3GSM, is the world’s largest exhibition for the mobile industry, showcasing the latest innovations in mobile technology and services and generally celebrating the industry’s many achievements over the past 25 years.

 

Until 2 years ago, the event took place in Cannes, during its 3GSM days, and many attendees fondly remember client meetings on yachts, extreme wining and dining,  and the overall more intimate nature of the gathering.  Now, around 2 decades later, attendance is in the range of 50,000 with around 1,300 companies exhibiting (though this years attendance was down by about 10%).

 

Economic undercurrents

 

While there was an underlying unspoken sense of muted fear and trepidation, many singled out the unique roll of the mobile industry in the difficult economic times.  During the congress, the number of global mobile connections surpassed 4 billion –the total human population of the globe stands at 6. 7 billion (I looked it up!).  Of course this isn’t the total number of mobile users worldwide, since many consumers have more than one handset, while others in emerging markets often share.  Nonetheless 4 billion mobile connects is an astounding figure to consider.

 

It’s against this backdrop that Mobile World Congress (MWC) participants discussed the unique role of mobile industry in lifting the world out of recession.   It’s one of the few sectors that is well positioned to weather the downturn and the industry, according to some, is one of government’s best answers to that downturn; in generating jobs, innovation, productivity and high technology, and doing so in a more environmentally sensitive way.  What’s more, the mobile sector is one of the few industries that has not required a global government bailout during the downturn.

There was still some star quality to the event, especially with lead singer of Will.i.am, of Black Eyed Peas fame, at the Mobile Backstage entertainment show and Kevin Spacey as host Mofilm short film festival.   

In my view, the show this year was just as notable by what wasn’t there, as by what was

 

What wasn’t there:

 

·         Apple wasn’t there, though the iPhone was there in spirit, with lots of competition scrambling to emulate it’s basic technology.

 

·         Pre-event buzz was all about Google’s Android open source mobile platform.

Yet I didn’t see one Android handset that was ready, actually commercially available.  Was Microsoft responsible for killing Android?

 

·         Huawei’s entered the smartphone market with their Android-based prototype, but the actual launch is scheduled for some time later this year.

 

·         HTC phone, Magic was based on Android platform, but wasn’t actually commercially available yet.

 

·         Microsoft launched the new Windows® phones with a free My Phone service that will enable people to access, manage and back up their personal information to a Web-based service, making it easier to upgrade phones without the worry of losing important information.  Focus on “will” here, the My Phone service is currently available in a limited invitation-only beta format

 

·         On the environmental front there was not a whole lot of green stuff (some cell phone recycling, but not much more)

 

What was there:

 

·         App stores - Nokia and Microsoft both launch their versions of app stores, with many others clamoring to develop their own version of an application storefront, where users can easily discover and download applications for their smartphones and developers can easily create and monetize those apps.  Trick is: they need stuff to put in those stores!

 

·         Touch screen - Quite simply, everyone’s doing it.

 

·         Meemix – yet another innovative company coming out of Israel, Meemix offers a music service which allows users to create and share personalized Internet radio stations and video channels for free. What’s really unique is that they’ve developed this taste prediction technology, which gives users their favorite music while introducing new artists that match their own individual tastes and in accordance with your current mood.  Way cool.

 

What I liked the best, amidst all the hype and the undertones of economic nervousness, were the simple things that came out of the show.

 

SIMPLICITY

·         Imagine if all cell phones were made to use the same cell phone charger!  Life is about to get a little bit easier.  The mobile industry agreed on one standard cell phone charger that will work with the majority of new handsets by 2012.  Not only will the number of chargers being manufactured each year be cut in half, but the new charger is also targeting a 50 % reduction in standby energy consumption and a three times more energy efficiency than the current chargers.  Good news for those amongst us who have settled with dead batteries for lack of compatible charger in sight.  And bonus: good news for the environment.

 

·         GSMA and Gates Foundation target the ‘unbanked’ – this partnership aims to bring financial services to developing countries via mobile phones. There are over one billion people in emerging markets today who do not have a bank account but do have a mobile phone, and this solution allows them to transfer money simply, efficiently, and cost effectively.

 

·         ForgetMeNot Software is another company that offers this simplified wire transfer solution via mobile phones.  But they do another cool thing:  they allow users to send IMs and emails via any telephone without the need for downloads or any special technology, via SMS technology.  So, virtually any cell phone on the planet can now send emails, essentially for the cost of sending an SMS.  For the developing world in particular, but for all markets around the world, this is very good news.

 

Finally, events such as Mobile World Congress are always crucial from a networking standpoint.  As in previous years, this added advantage was in full force.

 

Networking

The BondPR business model of multi-country campaigns made simple means that we do business with clients and PR partners around the world, and we’re always looking for ways to make the process more efficient and effective – both from a cost perspective and otherwise.  Around the time of the conference, we needed to schedule meetings w/ our PR partners in Germany, the US and Scandinavia; plus meet with clients based in Sweden, UK, Asia and the Middle East — we were able to consolidate all those meetings in the form of Mobile World Congress, saving on time, increasing efficiency. and minimizing our carbon footprint to boot!  That is good news indeed.