By Editor on March 16, 2012 · Leave a Comment
Smartphone shipments to emerging markets will drive growth in the worldwide smartphone market in the years ahead. According to a report by the IDC, China will become the leading country-level market for smartphone shipments in 2012, moving ahead of the current leader, the United States. Looking ahead to 2016, two additional emerging markets, India and Brazil, will enter the top 5 country markets for smartphone shipments.
Analysts say that due to their sheer size, strong demand, and healthy replacement rates, emerging markets are quickly becoming the engines of the worldwide smartphone market. Users in emerging markets seek more than simple voice telephony, and smartphones offer the ideal platform for mobile entertainment, social networking, and business usage as seen in developed markets.
Meanwhile, mature markets, such as Japan, the United Kingdom and the United States, will experience continued growth in smartphone adoption, but volumes will not keep up with those destined for emerging markets.
At the same time, smartphone growth within emerging markets presents its challenges. Further, the total cost of ownership remains a hurdle for potential smartphone buyers. Smartphones still represent a significant investment for consumers in many countries.
This fact was acknowledged by a number of industry executives at the recent Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, who stressed the need for low-cost devices – as low as sub-US$50 – to spur widespread adoption. Another notable barrier to adoption is the cost of a monthly data plan. To realize the full potential of emerging markets, smartphone vendors need to develop low-cost smartphones that provide a full, robust experience while mobile operators will need to creatively subsidize device cost and data plans.
Filed under Asia, Brazil, China, India, Latin America, Mobile, Smartphones ·
Tagged with ASIA, Barcelona, Brazil, China, Emerging Markets, India, largest smartphone market, low-cost devices, low-cost smartphones, mobile data plans, Mobile World Congress, monthly data plan, United States, worldwide smartphone market
By Editor on December 11, 2009 · Leave a Comment
www.WirelessFederation.com/news: World’s biggest handset maker, Nokia revealed its plan to renovate its Symbian user interface in order to improve its user experience, in 2010. Handset giant also divulged that the company will invest in
Maemo Linux-based operating system, delivering its first Maemo 6-powered device in the second half of 2010.
According to Nokia CEO, Olli-Pekka Kallasvuo, Symbian has reach and flexibility like no other platform. Besides, there are measures to push smartphones down to new price points globally, while growing margins. However, Bengt Nordstrom, co-founder and CEO of wireless consultancy Northstream feels that developer communities around the world have more traction for Android and the iPhone as compared to Symbian.
Nokia plans to increase the proportion of touch screen and QWERTY devices in its smartphone portfolio along with focusing on localized offerings for emerging markets. The target is to achieve 300 million active users for Nokia’s services by the end of 2011.
By Editor on November 12, 2009 · Leave a Comment
Nokia is attempting to create a multi-bank, multi-operator and multi-device collaboration on
mobile banking.
Nokia’s mobile banking and payment service is expected to be commercially available in its first market in Q1 2010, though no location details have been revealed yet.
According to Teppo Paavola, vice president, GM mobile
financial services, Nokia cannot reveal any details until a banking partner is confirmed. It is learnt that the service requires a banking license before it can be launched.
Nokia said its target is to have 300 million active users of its services by the end of 2011; the number is expected to be 80 million by the end of 2009.
Paavola said the service will enable un-banked people in emerging markets to transfer money, top up prepaid
mobile services, pay bills, carry out online transactions, and pay merchants.
Global
mobile payments market is expected to be worth €18 billion by 2014 – €12 billion from emerging markets and €6 billion from developed markets.
Approaches to mobile banking so far have lacked scale and have not worked across operators and across banks.
Nokia therefore plans to drive the collaboration on an open financial ecosystem, with Nokia Money at its core. Paavola added that it has taken a long time to get all the players together, from banks through to
mobile operators.
The Nokia Money application will not only be pre-loaded but could be sideloaded, or downloaded later.
Nokia will also be able to provide the physical distribution channel that is critical for the service to work. For example, Nokia handset sellers can be turned into Nokia Money agents, providing the devices, the application, and the ability to handle cash.
Nokia is attempting to create a multi-bank, multi-operator and multi-device collaboration on mobile banking, a service dubbed Nokia Money.
Nokia’s mobile banking and payment service is expected to be commercially available in its first market in Q1 2010, though no location details have been revealed yet.
According to Teppo Paavola, vice president, GM mobile financial services, Nokia cannot reveal any details until a banking partner is confirmed. It is learnt that the service requires a banking license before it can be launched.
Nokia said its target is to have 300 million active users of its services by the end of 2011.
Paavola said the service will enable un-banked people in emerging markets to transfer money, top up prepaid mobile services, pay bills, carry out online transactions, and pay merchants.
Global mobile payments market is expected to be worth €18 billion by 2014 – €12 billion from emerging markets and €6 billion from developed markets.
Approaches to mobile banking so far have lacked scale and have not worked across operators and across banks. Nokia therefore plans to drive the collaboration on an open financial ecosystem, with Nokia Money at its core.
The Nokia Money application will not only be pre-loaded but could be sideloaded, or downloaded later.
Nokia will also be able to provide the physical distribution channel that is critical for the service to work. For example, Nokia handset sellers can be turned into Nokia Money agents, providing the devices, the application, and the ability to handle cash.
Filed under Mobile ·
Tagged with Bills, Ecosystem, Emerging Market, Emerging Markets, handset, M-Banking, mBanking, Mobile Banking, Mobile Financial Services, mobile operator, Mobile Operators, Mobile payment, Mobile Payments, Mobile Service, Nokia, Nokia Money, payment Service, Prepaid Mobile, Prepaid Mobile Service, TransACT, Transactions
By Editor on October 7, 2009 · Leave a Comment
Bharti Airtel CEO, Manoj Kohli told reporters in India that Airtel may bid for Millicom’s Sri Lankan operation. Bharti already operates in SL.
Wireless Federation had earlier reported that Millicom/Tigo Laos has been sold to Russia’s Vimpelcom.
Bharti is actively considering acquisitions in Africa and the world over after the talks with MTN collapsed.
Bharti group CEO Sunil Mittal has said that the company won’t engage in dialogue with MTN for a third time, after inconclusive talks twice.
Nasdaq-listed Millicom provides prepaid cellular telephony services to over 30 million customers in 16 emerging markets in Latin America, Africa and Asia.
Asked if Bharti Airtel was also interested in Kuwait’s Zain Telecom, Kohli said they will continue to explore international acquisitions. (Airtel-Zain, See Here)
Filed under Mobile ·
Tagged with Acquisitions, Africa, africa and the world, Airtel, ASIA, Bharti, Bharti Airtel, Bharti Group, CEO, CEO Sunil Mittal, Emerging Market, Emerging Markets, India, international acquisitions, Kohli, Kuwait, Lankan, Laos, Latin America, manoj, Millicom, MTN, nasdaq, Nasdaq-listed, Russia, Sri Lanka, Sri Lankan, Sunil Mittal, telecom, Tigo, VimpelCom, Wireless, Wireless Federation
