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Monday, May 21, 2007
Cell phones have come a long way from being mere calling tools to one stop shop for all the communication needs of the user; be it simple voice call or browsing the net. A new phenomenon gaining considerable traction in the VAS segment is mobile blogging (moblogging) which allows users to add and update their weblog on the go. "Anytime anywhere blogging" is the underlying mantra for it. According to Senthil Kumar Sundaram, head, Mobile Business, MSN India, 'Mobile blogging is truly blogging on the move. It is more instantaneous and more event driven than PC blogging."
BIGWIGS OF THE WEST
Globally, moblogging is rapidly growing. The first widely used moblogging system was Hiptop Nation, which was based on Danger's Hiptop device. Today, there are a number of moblogging tools such as Foneblog, Blogplanet, and KABLOG. Crunkie is a solution that combines moblogging with location-based services. Twitter, a free service allows users to send group text messages to other friends through phones or online. MSN too has considerable presence in the moblogging space. Senthil says, "Windows Live Spaces come with mobile blogging where the users can create and update their spaces via mobile."
Moblogging includes picture sharing also and today's mobile users are now looking for an easy way of sharing their content simply and directly from the mobile multimedia. Thus, the subscriber base of moblog sites such as Text America, Flickr, Yafro, Buzznet, and mobog is growing exponentially. Many big names are also entering the moblogging race. Recently, Google announced a partnership with LG Electronics where LG phones will feature one click access to Google search service including moblogging. Google has similar arrangements with mobile phone bigwigs such as Samsung, Motorola and Sony Ericsson. With rising numbers moblogging is becoming the coolest application available today.
RISING DOMESTIC INTEREST
There are more than 200 million mobile subscribers in India, and mobile companies and service providers have discovered moblogging as the new technology to grab user attention. Although not new to India, moblogging has not really picked up due to low speed and costly GPRS connections, further inhibited by the complicated mobile Internet connectivity. Probir Roy, co-founder and director of Coruscant Tec says, "We had developed the first blog by the name of Air Blog in 2005 but there was not much response to it at that time. Now, the interest is rising and the market has a mindset of cautious optimism."
In India, blogging still has a lot of ground to cover in terms of becoming popular on the Internet. Senthil says, "In India, PC based blogging itself has to attain critical mass, with only one million users at present." Moreover, the ratio is reverse with the number of mobile users being more than Internet users.Its popularity depends on how much on top of the mind it is for the users.
Despite the initial inhibitions, the Indian mobile VAS market is upbeat about moblogging. According to Chirag Jain, VP–India Operations, Webaroo, 'Mobile blogging is still in its infancy. However, the potential is huge especially in countries like India where a large part of the user population will be able to experience this using mobile devices."
With more than 45% of new handsets being GPRS capable and sale of camera phones increasing by 25% every quarter, mobile blogging holds very good promise for VAS players. Some handset vendors and operators have understood its future potential and have introduced moblogging service.
THE NEW WAVE
Mobile handset giant Nokia has come up with a new application, Nokia M-blog, that allows users to post pictures directly to the M-blog and invite friends to view directly from the multimedia device. This application is specially optimized for the Nokia N-series users.
Reliance Communications, in partnership with IMImobile, introduced mobile blogging service "Mblog" for its subscribers on October 2006. The charges are Rs 5 per MMS and Rs 3 per SMS blog. The subscribers will be able to exchange images, videos and messages with anyone around the world.
ADDRESSING INDIGENOUS ISSUES
Before it really kicks off, the VAS segment needs to make sincere efforts to give it the initial push. In India, a very small percentage of the population has data service, and operators have not taken sharp steps to promote them. Moreover, there are no accepted platforms for mobile blogging, indigenous applications that address issues around mobile blogging such as keypad, mobile form factor etc are yet to surface.
Mobile portals should facilitate mobile blogging as an integral part of their service. Players should actively promote user generated content and induce community building among users. There is need to create topical and interest generating discussion topics to promote moblogging. Moreover, downloadable mobile clients can present a much richer interface, and drive moblogging. Availability of capable devices where GPRS and camera phones are at sub-$100 level and QWETRY keypads for effective blogging along with low bandwidth cost will also give a desirable push.
Probir Roy says, " The service providers need to drive moblogging as a near zero service and position it as the top of the deck offering for the end user. There is need to create awareness for community blogging and better bandwidth experience for better mobile blogging."
Another form of moblogging creating a buzz is corporate blogging. Analysts suggest that mobile blogs will become an important source of feedback as enterprises try to engage customers in all stages. Once the benefits of costs and implications become clearer and handsets become affordable, corporate blogging is bound to rise.
All in all, India is expected to be a hugely successful market for moblogging. The convenience and the ability to relate to the content will drive this service to new heights. The time is ripe.
Sonia Sharma
maildqindia@cybermedia.co.in
Source: Dataquest
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