Mobile is pretty much the answer to everything: Google CEO at Mobile World Congress
BARCELONA, Spain ? Google CEO Eric Schmidt gives mobile a ringing endorsement at Mobile World Congress, Microsoft is talk of the town, carriers seeking to win back control of the app world worry some and the Jordanian queen has one goal.
However, there was also a sense that Mobile World Congress was like rest of the major shows: carrier-centric. Indeed, one of our correspondents - an executive from one of the leading mobile ad networks - felt that mobile advertising got the short shrift at the world's largest mobile gathering.
Here?s what our correspondents heard and saw on Feb. 16, day 2 of Mobile World Congress in Barcelona.
Big talk at Mobile World Congress ? Microsoft is back
Walt Doyle
CEO
ULocate (Where.com)
Boston
Yesterday was another cold and rainy day here in Barcelona which slowed down traffic a bit, but certainly has not slowed the activity on the floor.
Every moment seems to be filled with more announcements, many being guised under the familiar and yet uninspiring ?revolutionary? headline.
However, there is one big theme which seems to be quite pervasive throughout the halls today ? Microsoft is back. Not only is ?7? here ? it has got game and people are talking like it is the second coming.
For the first time in years Microsoft actually had standing-room-only around the demo at its booth (see picture) with applause and ?oohs? and ?ahs.? I could not believe my ears or eyes ? Microsoft with a cool product? Microsoft with adoring fans? I must be super jetlagged ? is this really happening?
Just when you thought we would soon be living in a Google, Android and Nokia world ? the giant from Redmond is back on the court.
In this crazy world of mobile there seems to be no end to the fragmentation of operating systems or distribution channels. It is hard to build, hard to sell and fun as hell.
With yet more fragmentation, brands must choose their partners carefully to ensure that they have the ability to reach their audience. They must also consider developers who have proven success across all platforms, not just one.
Welcome back Microsoft ? I look forward to getting WHERE on 7 soon!
Are carriers trying to wrest back control with apps, OneVoice initiatives?
Val Christopherson
Managing director
Global Results Communications
Irvine, CA
There sure seems to be a lot of ?industry love? coming out of Mobile World Congress this year, with wireless carriers and device manufacturers working together in unprecedented ways.
First, there was the Wholesale Applications Community (WAC) announcement Feb. 15. And now, the GSM Association has adopted the OneVoice initiative, an attempt by a group of carriers and vendors to handle voice and SMS services delivered over LTE networks.
Verizon Wireless, KDDI and China Telecom are the primary drivers behind OneVoice, given their investments in LTE.
We are not sure what the GSMA?s adoption of OneVoice means for VoLGA, the other voice-over-LTE initiative.
But we do know what the WAC and OneVoice announcements mean for the world of mobile marketing.
Carriers and device manufacturers have officially drawn a line in the sand against content providers who are coming over the top of their networks to sell services.
These developments also indicate an apparent desire by carriers to have greater control over revenue generation on their networks.
For application developers, this can be a mixed bag.
On the one hand, there will be the ?carrier control issue.? On the other hand, fears of industry fragmentation over 4G standards may be resolved, so that they can develop voice and data applications that ? in theory ? could be made available to more than 3 billion people for years to come over 2G, 3G and 4G networks. Ka-ching.
Speaking of mobile apps, in case you missed it, Microsoft announced Windows Mobile 7 (or ?WinMo 7?) and its Phone 7 Series, which will be available this 2010 holiday season.
A fair number of device manufacturers are onboard ? Dell, HP, HTC, LG, Qualcomm, Samsung, Sony Ericsson and Toshiba ? as well as carriers such as AT&T, Orange, Sprint, Telefonica, T-Mobile, Verizon and Vodafone.
The big theme coming out of the Microsoft camp was ?Life Integration.?
There is the Xbox Live integration, along with other games, applications, music and video on Zune and Pandora, social media access and Bing searching ? including a live search for a sushi restaurant in Barcelona; yes, they found one. Oh, did we mention Microsoft Office integration?
We are not going to call WinMo 7 a ?game changer? or anything silly like that. But we will say that Microsoft is responding in strong fashion to the iPhone and Android, and the company?s software background will be a real asset in this battle of mobile operating systems.
Google CEO endorses mobile, Puma debuts mobile phone, Jordanian queen is amused with mobile
Harald Neidhardt
Chief marketing officer and cofounder
Smaato
Hamburg, Germany
Many exciting things happened yesterday at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona.
Queen Rania of Jordan explained in her amazing keynote how the mobile industry can contribute to make this world better, providing education for everyone.
Her Majesty introduced 1GOAL http://tiny.cc/1goal, a global campaign she is chairing with support of singer Bono, President Clinton and the FIFA for the Soccer World Cup 2010 in South Africa.
Google CEO Eric Schmidt: Mobile First!
The afternoon keynote of Google CEO Eric Schmidt was titled ?Mobile First? and transmitted live on http://www.mobileworldlive.com.
Google is now shipping 60,000 Android phones per day, Mr. Schmidt said. He said cloud computing was going to be key Google?s future.
Mr. Schmidt also announced that Google is working on new technology to improve security and enhance authentication to better protect data. He concluded his session by saying, ?Mobile is pretty much the answer on everything,? announcing a major shift in strategy.
Puma launches solar-powered smartphone
Global sports marketer Puma yesterday issued a branded phone. The Puma Phone is the first phone designed to reflect the values of a global brand from the inside out.
A very unique user interface comes in Puma red and has a touch-screen interface that is very intuitive to handle. Unique iconography has been designed in the style of the leading sports brand and it comes loaded with special applications.
The phone is manufactured by French handset maker Sagem and features a solar back panel, two cameras to allow for video chat, GPS and a lot of music gadgets such as FM radio and a scratch player.
More unique features follow the direction of Puma CEO Jochen Zeitz, who charged the development team to come up with something that has not been done in the market before and helps engage with the brand?s community worldwide.
?We want to engage with our community in a way that is consistent with everything Puma stands for,? Mr. Zeitz said. ?Blending together the influences of sport, lifestyle and fashion, the Puma Phone reflects the joy, spontaneity and individuality that the Puma brand is known for.?
There are more specialized devices coming up, enabling the mobile ad industry to target their ads according to the device.
One new phone actually comes designed out of wood and is targeting the eco-friendly consumer.
Meanwhile, even GSMA president Robert G. Conway opened the conference yesterday with a strong call for the industry to back up initiatives for mobile advertising.
Mobile gone wild
On a lighter note ? Mobile World Congress is always good for great parties.
Last night, mobile marketing leaders flocked to the 600-person-strong Smaato/GoMoNews reception.
Guests spotted were Ted Morgan, CEO of Skyhook (United States); Jeffrey Glueck, CEO of Skyfire (United States); leaders of mobile advertising companies such as WeLoveMobile (Britain), xs2TheWorld (Britain), iconmobile (Germany), OMD (Turkey and the United States), ribot (UK), 12snap (Germany), Dan Goikhman of Mojiva (U.S.), Michael Bayle of Amobee (U.S.), Russell Buckley of AdMob (U.S.), buzzcity (Singapore), Velti (Greece and Britain), madvertise, sponge and mads; publishers and application developers from chomp, Peperoni, waze (Mobile Premier Award winner and Smaato Mobile Award winner), flirtomatic (Smaato Mobile Award winner), buddy, aka-aki, itsmy and SPB Software; carriers such as Orange; device manufacturers including Nokia; analytics companies such as Distimo; publishers including myspace, BBC, Reuters Consumer Media and German powerhouse Axel Springer; and venture capitalists.
Mobile World Congress down that old path: a carrier-centric show; mobile ad players feel the neglect
Mack McKelvey
Senior vice president of marketing
Millennial Media
Baltimore, MD
This is my third time to Mobile World Congress, and I was disappointed immediately when I stepped off my packed overnight flight ? where was the fanfare and excitement?
Juniper Networks had one well-placed sign touting recent marketing messages around mobile advertising, and Samsung had a wall wrap outside of the airport. But where were the bus wraps and billboards? Where were the drivers with the branded signs and the marketing teams promoting the latest and greatest devices?
There was little to nothing to indicate that I was entering the global wireless Mecca.
Once arriving at the show, the lack of excitement and buzz continued, and it is likely the rain has helped create that sense of, well, business as usual. Mobile is a sexy space right now. There is no doubt about it. So what was missing? Is it the recession? Or is it something larger?
Mobile World Congress seems to be continuing down the path of being a carrier-focused show, led by the European carriers, handset manufacturers and networking behemoths.
The real question is, where is mobile advertising and mobile marketing? These high-growth, exciting topics seem to be only discussed sporadically, and by the community that should be the most excited about the ever-growing mobile ecosystem. The mobile ad tracks are scheduled on Thursday, Feb. 18, on day 4 of the conference!
So, if mobile advertising and mobile marketing are not center stage at the largest mobile show in the world, does it mean that the mobile ad innovators and discussion leaders ? the mobile ad networks (many are not exhibiting), MySpace and Facebook and early brand adopters do not find this forum relevant?
Apple and Yahoo are noticeably absent, and Google has had a nominal presence.
Then yesterday, I made it up to the content section of the tradeshow. Although attendance seems to be down at the conference overall, Hall 7 proved to be the one exception.
Hall 7 was the most highly-trafficked area I have seen over the course of the past two days and the atmosphere was completely different from the other Halls. Mobile Advertising was front and center, with some of the usual suspects exhibiting, but there were dozens of new platforms and providers.
App Planet resides in Hall 7 and it is buzzing with dozens of application vendors and developers.
There is no shortage of discussions on common platforms and metrics. That said, it seems that mobile advertising continues to be adjacent to the larger mobile conversation.
While I am excited to see the energy from many of the mobile ad players, I was hoping to see more integration of this high growth area into the show itself?figuratively and physically.
Please click here for day 1 coverage of Mobile World Congress.
Here are some pictures from Feb. 16's Smaato/GoMoNews party (photos by Smaato's Vesna Gudlin):