Having been to many Mobile World Congresses (MWC) in the past, I always looked forward to the large communication service providers (CSPs) keynotes. Whether it was listening to Arun Sarin (former Vodafone CEO) discuss the new features that Vodafone Live! had implemented (i.e.: WAP 2.0, WAP PUSH, MMS, LBS, etc.), or Didier Lombard (France Telecom CEO in transition) discuss his views on how FT had a leg up on convergence (i.e.: 2X, 3X, 4X), I was always there taking notes and trying to infer what would follow.
This year I’m also looking forward to listen to the CSPs. I see that China Unicom, KDDI, Bharti, among others will all be en masse at the keynotes. As new connected devices are launched, be that by OEMs, CSPs or eTailers/retailers, it creates a high growth vehicle for operators which ultimately provide the access and connectivity required. As such, I believe that as this ecosystem shapes itself, operators will definitely have an edge in it.
That said, it is important to note there are some noticeable changes in this year’s agenda for MWC, which in some cases brings balance to this ecosystem and makes it less CSP centric. Here are some firsts that have caught my eye:
- Google’s Keynote: If I remember correctly this is the first time that Eric Schmidt (Google’s CEO) is keynoting.
- Embedded Mobile: It is also the first time for which there is a seminar on embedded mobile. See more information on this seminar here.
- More OEMs Having a Larger Presence: I see that RIM’s CEO and DELL’s VP/GM Communication Solutions will also speak about how this ecosystem is shaping up. For example we’ve been invited to speak with DELL on the challenges that OEMs face in their go to market. See more information on this panel here.
In many ways it is fair to say that there are more degrees of freedom in this year’s MWC agenda. Some would call it a less homogeneous playing field in which other elements of the value chain are flexing their muscles.
Many analysts will argue that ecosystems that introduce new degrees of freedom typically follow considerable innovation and growth. I certainly agree with this premise and as such am looking forward to a different MWC experience in Barcelona next week.
2 Comments
Nice and timely post Omar. It will be interesting to see how MWC evolves as the ecosystem opens up and operators become less influential in the ecosystem. Google’s presence is indeed a sign of the times, as you indicated. I’d like to highlight two other changes:
Nokia’s Absence
Nokia’s absence from the exhibits will certainly be felt in Hall 8 where they traditionally had a very visible presence. It’s evident that Nokia no longer sees the operators as a key channel to market so this move makes sense for them. As Nokia markets directly to consumers, CES becomes more relevant than MWC to them.
Developer Focus and App Planet
With so many other distribution channels available to developers (the non-operator app stores), GSMA is attempting to retain developer interest at this event. The rebranding of Hall 7 as App Planet and the related marketing campaign appear to be working. It will be interesting to what how developer interest in this event evolves in years to come.
Regarding Embedded Mobile, there was a dedicated seminar at MWC-2009 to launch the GSMA’s strategy in this area. There is a report on the topic on the GSMA’s Embedded Mobile web portal.
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