Dr. J. Gerry Purdy, Ph.D. VP & Chief Analyst, Mobile & Wireless, Frost & Sullivan (Contact him:
[email protected] or 404-406-5309) says every year analysts give their trend predictions for the coming year that don't always come true. To me that sounds like Ms. Cleo, the psychic lady on the infomercial who if you called her at two in the morning she would tell you your future but, that turned out to be a sham!
To be a leader in the industry, Dr. Purdy decided to give his "Mobile & Wireless 2009 Wish List" hoping that with this list, it could "drive many of the vendors to seriously consider these recommendations for their product plans and drive customers to demand them from vendors."
Granted, he may have a Ph.D. in Wish List making but it's been my experience when every time I made a Wish List, I never got anything. I blame
Ms. Cleo.
Apple |
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| - Put politics aside and provide support for Adobe Flash.
- Add clipboard cut/copy and paste.
- Allow enterprises to monitor and control applications.
- Build a new model that includes a real keyboard.
- Select multiple emails and delete them with one action without having to go to Edit.
- Search within email folder.
- Sort email by 'From' with alpha directory (like in Contacts).
- Add turn-by-turn navigation (work with TeleNav).
- Add a back arrow on lower level menus.
- Get RIM to develop BlackBerry client - leverages installations that already have or plan to install the BlackBerry Enterprise Server (BES) but have employees who want to use the iPhone. Allows connectivity to both Microsoft Exchange and Lotus Domino.
- Allow applications to run in the background so they can provide alerts and services at appropriate times.
- Provide mobile broadcast - 8 channels of video & 12 channels of music along with datacasting.
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| - Get Microsoft to develop Outlook for the Mac.
- Better Windows to Mac conversion tools. This would really help Windows users to convert more easily to the Mac.
- Encourage Microsoft to develop Internet Explorer for Mac.
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- iTunes/iPod (see Inside Mobile, June 10, 2008)
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| - Allow any portable music player (including iPod, Zune & Sansa) to sync with iTunes (creates iTunes as the master control tower for all music players)
- Allow iPod to work with other sources of online music and video (creates iPod as the best way to interact with all rich media on the Internet)
- Work with streaming sources like RealNetworks to provide multiple channels of streaming music through iTunes (creates iTunes as the master director for all good streaming music sources)
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| - Offer OS X for all Intel notebooks with full compatibility - let users decide whether to load it on their notebook vs. Windows.
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RIM |
- Develop BlackBerry client for the iPhone (keeps BES in place).
- Adopt Android as your OS platform and build all future devices on Android and MarketPlace. Your BlackBerry platform isn't robust enough to compete in the market against other major mobile OS providers.
- If you adopted Windows Mobile, you might as well sell the company to Microsoft.
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Microsoft |
- Develop Outlook for the Mac. It will drive more Mac sales than any other single application. There are over 300 million Outlook users many of whom might just switch to the Mac if Outlook were there. Entourage isn't the same and doesn't support PST files.
- Create and offer an 'Apps Store' for Windows Mobile similar to Apple, Google & Nokia.
- Develop integrated wireless handheld device using Danger assets (Zune Phone?).
- Show both the Business and Home address entries in the Outlook Contact display screen. Very annoying to have to use a pull down list to see someone's home address.
- Develop Windows Explorer for the Mac so that web sites that are compatible only with IE would run well on a Mac.
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Nokia |
- Find a way to become a player in the US market (ask us to help you achieve this goal).
- Bring Ovi to North America.
- Offer a line of SmartPhones based on Android - let market decide on which OS they like the best.
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Motorola |
- Since you're developing for Android, build a great product for enterprise:
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| - Offer Good Technology email built-in with great security
- Provide a great sideways keyboard
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Google |
- Develop an end-to-end digital media store that will be open, provide desktop app like iTunes, work with all content providers & provide both streaming 'channels' as well as purchase of music, TV and movies - takes YouTube up a notch with a better, more user friendly UI and ability to store and share all of a person's media.
- Get an Android OHA partner like Motorola and Palm to develop a product for the enterprise.
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Palm |
- Announce support for Android and build both consumer and enterprise models. Maintain your easy to use interface and the result could be a big hit.
- Work with a third party like Peek, Visto or SEVEN to create a great, integrated email solution for consumers.
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Watch List |
- HTC - they have done a good job with the Android/T-Mobile G1. Watch for more great products coming from this relatively new player in the 'big leagues.'
- White Space Initiative - this allows full multi-media wireless transmission through building walls - products and services to come out in 2009/2010. Companies like Nomadio should partner with wireless operators or Clearwire to roll out a nationwide service.
- Netbooks - Could become a lot more successful if they provided better performance and more storage (give it a couple of years). The idea of a carry-around-all-day 'companion' with Wi-Fi and wide area wireless will become appealing. It should sync with your notebook or desktop (e.g. via MobileMe).
- Clearwire - look for bright spots as 'Clear' WiMAX services begin to roll out around the US.
- Broadcast Media - look for real inroads with MediaFLO and DVB-H if at least one major operator (e.g. AT&T Wireless) and handset provider (e.g. Apple) offers mobile broadcast (8 channels video & 12 channels of music) with all popular handsets.
- Audience (and others) - provide much better elimination of background noise when talking in a public place or driving - provides immediate improvement in call quality to all users.
- Mobile commerce - that we'll be able to buy most anything using our phone and the vision of a 'digital wallet' will come closer to reality.
- eBook Reader - Amazon or Sony - provide an eBook reader that provides a better experience than reading a book (see Inside Mobile & Wireless, Oct. 6).
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