There has been quite a bit of action on the mobile communications front over the last few days. It seems as if we are inching closer to a richer mobile VoIP experience, even if mobile phones’ most basic function may be getting left behind. Here is a brief roundup:
- Vonage announced the availability of an application for Android phones. The application will run over both WiFi and 3G, and will tie into a user’s existing Vonage service.
- Rumor has it the next iPhone will be called iPhone HD, presumably to reflect a new 960 x 640 screen (though HD voice would be nice). There also appears to be concern that sticking to convention, and naming it iPhone 4G would just promote a 4G service that AT&T does not currently have.
- Finally, Tsahi Levent-Levi makes some great points over at the Radvision blog about the dumbing down of smartphones. Who hasn’t missed a call because they accidentally turned the ringer volume down, or swiped the screen the wrong direction and hung up on someone? Why has making and receiving phone calls taken a backseat to supposedly more advanced functionality?
The Net Neutrality debate continued this week with a ruling by the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit that favors large network operators, and arguably could limit consumer’s access to the internet applications and services they crave. In the ruling, the Court decided the FCC does not have the authority to explicitly regulate the flow of internet traffic. Hence, the FCC’s landmark directive limiting Comcast’s ability to block BitTorrent traffic is unwarranted. The ruling could give network operators the precedent to selectively prioritize or block specific classes or types of internet traffic. Thereby, potentially having a profound effect on the further adoption of voice and video over IP services.
The communication space, particularly real-time video, continues to evolve and the options for consumers expand everyday:
- Earlier this year at CES, several television manufacturers, such as Panasonic, introduced products to enable video conferencing from the comfort of one’s living room.
- Mobile video is no longer a futuristic concept and networks and smartphone processors are reaching speeds capable of delivering and processing high-quality real-time video transmission.
- One can easily imagine a future generation iPad with a front-facing camera enabling high quality two-way video.
The promise of receiving voice and video from any device, at anytime, anywhere in the world, is becoming a reality.
As video becomes commonplace, the question at hand is—how will consumers receive the flood of packets laden with video frames and—will network operators have a say in determining which packet is most deserving of an unencumbered path through the internet. The debate surely will continue with more still to come from the Courts, FCC and Congress.
Last week, Sprint announced that it will release the HTC Evo this summer, making it the first phone to run on Sprint’s 4G network. The Evo will run on the Android OS and the same 1GHz Snapdragon used by the Nexus One. Sprint currently offers 4G service in 27 US cities, covering approximately 30 million users, with a plan to quadruple its coverage by the end of the year.
Perhaps the most significant feature offered by the Evo is that it has cameras on both sides of the phone. As I see it, the biggest technical hurdle to mobile video conferencing isn’t operator acceptance or network quality (though those are certainly issues) but it is the lack of front facing cameras on the vast majority of smartphones. It is pretty difficult to have a video call if the mobile user is pointing the camera away from himself or herself, or is looking into the camera, but cannot see the screen. GIPS’ VideoEngine Mobile product has been available for over a year, and the first thing we say when asked if someone can use it to develop an application on a given mobile platform is, “yes, but does the phone have a front facing camera?” The enabling technology for mobile video has been there for a while, but phones are just now catching up.
The other important piece of this news is that Sprint’s network should facilitate mobile video conferencing adoption. While video calling is possible over 3G, it should be a lot better over 4G. I mean, 4 is better than 3, right? Well, probably, but it will depend how widespread the coverage is, how easily video calls will be handed off between cells, and if Sprint has the capacity to manage a significant number of users accessing the network at once. Sprint claims 4G download speeds are 10 times faster than those of 3G, but if users are demanding more bandwidth intensive services, will Sprint run into the same problems AT&T experiences from iPhone users overloading the network? Since the Sprint won’t be offering a 4G device for a few more months, there is no way of knowing yet. However, this is something to keep in mind as Sprint steps up its efforts to promote its 4G service.
After AT&T’s announcement last fall that they would allow VoIP applications to use the 3G network very little has happened. No applications offering such services have actually been approved by Apple to be sold in the Apps Store. Until now, that is. Today our customer Toktumi announced that their latest upgrade of the Line2 application for iPhone has been approved by Apple. This application is touted by Toktumi as “the first iPhone calling app that works over 3G, Wi-Fi, and cellular networks using the same number”. This is pretty big news. The end user can get better call quality (HD Voice), improved coverage (through WiFi), and save a lot on call charges. VoIP applications have previously only been available on Symbian, Windows Mobile, and most recently Android devices, while maybe the most popular smartphone has lacked such support.
The Line2 application offers much more than just a standard VoIP application (As opposed to e.g. iCall, which is another VoIP application fro the iPhone). In fact, I use it on my Blackberry even though there is no VoIP support on that platform. This is because RIM hasn’t opened up the development environment in such a way that it is possible to develop a true VoIP application for the Blackberry environment. That topic is worth its own post so I will refrain from commenting more on this very frustrating issue…
The last couple days have reinforced the golden rule of tradeshows- That Which Can Go Wrong, Will Go Wrong. After a series of delayed flights, missed connections, and lost bags, an exhausted GIPS team arrived in Barcelona for the world’s largest mobile communications conference, the GSMA Mobile World Congress. Despite the difficulties, everyone is in good spirits (though we have not yet had the entertainment of last year’s show, which included collapsing booths, a Russian Danny McBride lookalike, and a near fist fight between show organizers and the exhibitors across the aisle from us).
I haven’t had much opportunity to walk around and talk to other exhibitors yet, but a few themes seem to have emerged from my current vantage point. My first impression of the show is that there is a greater focus on applications than in the past. The popularity of the iPhone and Android seems to be fueling an explosion in mobile apps, and any product that is associated with them is trying to cash in. Who knows how many of these companies will be around next year, but right now they seem to be everywhere.
Speaking of Android, it definitely looks like this year’s hot topic. I think there is a lot of excitement around the platform, as well as quite a few questions about its potential. Tomorrow I should hopefully have a chance to check out the Google booth and see firsthand what is going on.
We will be here all week, bringing this year’s coolest (and maybe lamest) technology, so stay tuned.
Here we go again- another post about mobile OS’s. But how could I resist while Symbian is bleeding and no one (Nokia) seems to be trying to do anything about it?
Over the last several years, Symbian has been the most widely deployed mobile OS, and until recently, Blackberry and iPhone have been like flyspecks on the wall (and still are in some markets). As I have stated before, this is changing with better usability (iPhone), increased openness (Android) and the proliferation of application development (on Apple Store, Windows Mobile and Android). It is this last point which makes me wonder if Symbian’s future is even bleaker than indicated in the latest Gartner projections (I also happen to think RIM is in trouble, especially if you read this article, but we can leave that for another post).
Symbian has been struggling to attract application developers to its Ovi store, even though Nokia seems to understand that application availability will be a driver of mobile device sales and a future source of revenue. One of the main problems is that developing on Symbian is really complicated. I have heard that it takes 6 times longer to develop an application on Symbian than on iPhone, Android and Windows Mobile. I was personally involved with the Symbian Signed process at GIPS and barely managed to survive.
It hasn’t always been this way. A couple of years ago, the Nokia/Symbian online developer community was a lively forum with lots of developer activity and communication. But today it is like entering a funeral compared to the Android forums. No wonder there is much less activity on the Ovi store compared to the Apple Store.
So why are applications so important? Do most people even download more than 3 applications to their phone? Does it matter if the Apple Store has 10,000 applications versus 5,000 at Ovi store? Isn’t it more important to have one smart business or personal application versus 100 different kinds of car racing games?
Ovi might have a good selection of applications that meet people’s basic needs, but I suspect that the interest of developing new applications for Symbian will decrease dramatically with the drop in consumer demand for Symbian phones. I use Symbian, Windows Mobile and iPhone OS devices for work, and by looking what you can do on the new smart phones (such as the new Android) I am becoming more convinced that the smart applications will play a very important role in the future.
As a frequent consumer of pop culture criticism, I am well aware that it is almost 2010 thanks to all the “Best of 2009” (or now “Best of Decade”) lists. While sometimes predictable and cliché, I look forward to reading about the albums, books, movies and band names that unite or divide critics. It’s a good way to discover music or movies that I had previously overlooked (this year’s winner: the Dirty Projectors) and it’s nice to take a look back at the year that was.
So, in that spirit, here are some of the most relevant stories in the telecom/VoIP/tech industry in 2009:
Net Neutrality Picks up Steam
With the new administration in Washington, the regulatory climate was noticeably different than the previous 8 years. The FCC began to look into possible monopolistic behavior in the mobile telecom market and the exclusive agreements between handset manufacturers and carriers. In addition, Congress offered proposals which would set actual rules around the regulation of the Internet. Major companies like Google, Apple and AT&T were all in the mix, and should be for the foreseeable future.
Android Offers iPhone Alternative
For all of us who were searching for a smartphone with iPhone-like functionality, but with a physical keyboard, a better network and an open platform, the Droid was the answer to our prayers. Perhaps that’s why Time Magazine named the Droid the “Device of the Year”. Subsequent news of a Google branded phone only fanned the competitive flames between Google and Apple.
Mobile VoIP Makes Waves
For years, pundits have been speculating about the arrival of mobile VoIP (I am sure at least blog or article in the next 14 days will proclaim that 2010 is the year). While I wouldn’t argue that mobile VoIP is here, or that it will soon be, it was a major component of the previous 2 storylines. One of the motivating factors behind the FCC looking into mobile operator behavior is carriers’ ability to block certain types of traffic (e.g. VoIP). In addition, Google Voice, while not technically a VoIP service, drew the ire of the FCC under allegations that it was blocking calls to rural areas. Also, the recent rumors surrounding the Google Phone indicate it may be an unlocked phone that will be sold without carrier subsidy, and configured to offer free VoIP calls. While mobile VoIP may not be mainstream, it sure is having an impact on the industry.
HD Voice Goes Mainstream
GIPS has been trumpeting the cause of wideband speech since the company’s inception. While the technology saw a great deal of adoption with the launch of PC-based calling services, it wasn’t until the marketing-friendly name “HD Voice” came along that it really took off. The number of companies announcing HD voice solutions, combined with industry organizations pushing for adoption of the technology, point to a potential for mass acceptance of a new standard of voice quality.
So, it turns out the heavily rumored Google phone exists, but there is much we still don’t know. I read a good piece this morning that covers the topic quite nicely, but here are what I consider the biggest unanswered questions:
1) Can the Google phone be successful without carrier assistance? The current phone handed out to Google employees is unlocked. Most of the rumors around the phone seem to indicate that will continue to be the case. If this is true, it begs the question of how successful a phone can be that, according to Om Malik, will most likely cost $400-$600. American consumers are accustomed to buying subsidized phones bundled with service through a major carrier. While the overall cost of the Google phone might be comparable to or even cheaper than other smartphones when one considers the 2 year service contracts they usually come with, the large upfront cost will still require a major paradigm shift for people used to a $100-$200 price tag.
2) How will Motorola and other manufacturers of Android phones react to what appears to be a competitive offering from a current partner, and how will the move impact Android’s market share? I have said that I think the open approach Google had been following until now would prove more successful than Apple’s closed model of bundling hardware and software. Malik disagrees, comparing the Google phone launch with Microsoft’s unsuccessful strategy of competing with the iPod. He claims Microsoft rested on their laurels and launched the Zune too late in the game, and that Google needs to aggressively go after the iPhone before it gobbles up too much market share. However, I think the market for mobile devices is more closely related to the PC market than the MP3 player market. As great as the iPod is, it is an incredibly simple device. At its core, it is just a hard drive with a media player. The growth of the smartphone market can largely be attributed to the kind of functionality (web browsing, email, social networking, applications) that is typically reserved for more advanced devices like PCs. While Apple has been successful in that market, they are dwarfed by Microsoft in terms of the number of end users, largely due to Microsoft’s strategy of sticking to what they do best (software) and offering it on a variety of hardware platforms. In one sense the Google phone may be even more open if it remains unlocked because users can take it to any provider they like. In addition, this design should make it easier for developers to create apps, encouraging the growth of the Android Marketplace. However, I was hoping to see a variety of Android devices continue to proliferate. Google may still choose to offer their OS on multiple phones, but their latest move seems to be a step away from that strategy.
Speaking of carriers, there was an interesting article in the New York Times today about the impact of the iPhone on AT&T’s network. You can read it for yourself, but the gist is that the iPhone’s poor reception may actually have more to do with the device than network capacity.
A few months ago, I wrote a post about my struggle to find a decent mobile phone. My conclusion was that I liked the iPhone’s features, but the lack of a full keyboard was a major inhibitor, and I didn’t like the religion that surrounds Apple products. So I continued with my Blackberry Curve in no hurry to get a new phone. Then a few weeks ago, I saw the first Droid commercial and knew there was a good chance I would end up buying it. Well, as fate would have it, the day after the Droid was released, my Blackberry decided to stop receiving SMS and emails. You can guess how this story ends.
Now, I could do an in-depth analysis of the phone and all its features, but there are hundreds of blogs and news articles that have already covered that ground. Let’s just say, I like the Droid. Its way better than my old Blackberry, but isn’t perfect (note to self: remember to ask if a phone will work outside the US before you buy one). However, I have been amazed at how engaged people are when they notice that I have a Droid. I have had dozens of conversations in the last couple weeks about the phone. People want to know how I like it, and especially how it compares to the iPhone. It is this last point that I find most interesting.
Right after I got the Droid, the developer of the iPhone Facebook app announced he was leaving that project due to the cumbersome App Store approval process. That same week, while I was struggling with what I can only guess was walking pneumonia, I read a piece in SF Weekly about the founders of Pystar, a company which sells low-cost computers pre-loaded with the Mac OS, and their legal battles with Apple. These two stories, combined with the consistent refrain from iPhone enthusiasts about the number of apps available through iTunes, made me realize how vulnerable the iPhone may be to competition.
As it stands, the iPhone is the unquestioned popular leader in thesmartphone market (though last I checked it still trailed Blackberry). However, is it possible that Apple’s iPhone strategy could yield results similar to those for personal computers? Mac, no doubt, has carved out a very nice niche for itself. However, it still only accounts for just over 5% of the PC market. Macs are very nice computers, but they are expensive and, Pystar aside, you can only get the MAC OS on an Apple computer. Will Android’s more open business model, where you can theoretically run the Android OS on any phone, over any network, prove more successful? Will iPhone’s supposed advantage in 3rd party apps disappear as developers realize they don’t have to go through a long and possibly arbitrary approval process to get their apps on Android? Obviously only time will tell, but from what I have seen, Android seems well positioned to take over as leader in the smartphone market.
GIPS is a company that never sits around. It’s a company that is constantly innovating, developing and leading the market. That’s why the Company announced the availability of VoiceEngine Mobile for Android today. GIPS VoiceEngine allows Android application developers to build solid performing HD voice (VoIP) enabled applications quickly, expertly without reinventing the wheel.
The first company to offer HD voice on Android-based mobile phones is Nimbuzz, the social mobile application company. Nimbuzz is rapidly gaining interest with over one million people signing up to use their service each month and with the addition of Nimbuzz on Android phones – it is only set to grow even faster.
It was only last week that Nimbuzz launched their new offering NimbuzzOut, which allows calls from the Nimbuzz application to any mobile or landline phone at affordable prices whether it’s 3G or Wi-Fi. As GIPS CTO, Roar Hagen said: “Nimbuzz continues to offer their users a distinctive unified social messaging application that connects popular social and instant messenger networks into one simple, user-friendly offering.”
In an earlier post I mentioned that Gartner has predicted that Android will become the second most popular smartphone by 2012 with 14.5 percent market share and iPhone with 13.7 percent market share. Now all I have to decide is whether to leave my iPhone for the new Droid!
