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Location is a key enabler driving
the usage rate of many value-added applications, but not a significant revenue
driver on its own. Proximity to, for example, retail is a big factor for mobile
local search, but targeting based on the demographics of a given geographic
area is also essential.
The carriers have a lot of
information about their customers – such as their location, buying habits and
mobile Web-surfing patterns – that might be useful in selling targeted
advertising. As a result, mobile carriers have ad initiatives that threaten the
rise of companies that want to exploit this space. However, technology and
privacy issues have prevented that information from being used so far.
The fast-growing mobile data market needs
mobile-specific search solutions to give the world's two billion wireless users
a quick, easy, and fun entry point to content within the walled garden as well
as on the mobile web. Subscribers using mobile search tend to look for an
experience that offers answers and actionable results rather than links that
lead to more searching.
Mobile carriers face an
increasing commoditization in their traditional markets, and are adjusting
strategies in different ways; most create new revenue streams from enriched
content and services. The commoditization of voice service is putting more and
more pressure on operators to drive revenue from the emerging mobile content
and services market.
Location information has
intrinsic capability to add value, context, and greater levels of
personalization to all wireless applications and services. Most of the
attention surrounding the success of location-based services has revolved
around the relative performance of different location technologies, but the
importance of value and user experience must not be overlooked. In addition to selecting a technology that
provides the proper combination of accuracy and consistency, the location
technology service must have value by providing relevant, needed and appealing
information and be delivered in a package that is easy to use, easy to operate
and understand.
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Kolodziej Kolodziej is the author of the Mobile Local Search Report. In
addition to custom research services, Kolodziej also consults to various
players in the industry. Kolodziej has been in the location technology
field for almost a decade, during which he was responsible for research,
technology engineering and innovation for various clients, including ESRI,
Frost & Sullivan, Geo Invent (Tele Atlas), and the industry's standards
geospatial consortium, OGC, among others. Kolodziej is author of Mobile Local Search
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DISCLAIMER
The views and opinions expressed in this article do not necessarily represent
the views of MobileIN.com.
You are encouraged to seek the advice of health professional concerning
these matters of great importance.
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