Simplicissimus Revisited

Wireless World, Singapore/Kuala Lumpur, December 2004 issue

We’re nearing year end again. So let’s have a look at what ahead in mobile marketing, or rather: what should be.

3G
Soon, the world will go 3G. Or at least, some of us hope so, especially those who have humongous investments riding on the bet that 3G will be the Next Big Thing in mobile services. This is partly why everyone keeps watching Japan, where operators already made the transition. “What will be the next Killer App? Gee I don’t know; let’s see what happens in the Land of the Rising Fun!” Well, dear reader, we have another sighting of the Japanese Killer App: KDDI now offer music downloads. They’ve signed up a number of websites and 20 record labels and offer a choice of around 10,000 songs to those who want to have them on their 3G phones.

What does this tell us? Two things. One, providers still lack creativity. “Hey, iTunes seem to work! Let’s copy!” Two, they still don’t get it. A phone is not an iPod.

Does this mean music downloads to mobile phones won’t sell? Of course not. But linking music to handphones has to make sense to the user. I need a reason to want the music on my phone, rather than on a proper MP3 player. So ringtones, calltones, anything else that makes my phone sound cool. Already global ringtone revenues are becoming a significant proportion of total music revenue. There’s lesson here: think out of the box. And keep it simple.

Mobile TV
Another look ahead, another JKA sighting: trying to get people to watch TV on their phones. Sorry guys – won’t work. A phone simply doesn’t have what it takes. For instance, you need a proper screen. At least twelve inches, as they say. Anyway, more than any handphone can possibly offer.

Does this mean that we should let it go? Again, no! But for Heaven’s sake, don’t try to copy classic broadcasting! Let me give an example: I’m an F1 fan. I love to watch races, either live or on TV. In some ways, TV is even better because you can see the whole track and there’s continuous commentary.

But hey, there are a gazillion cameras all over the circuit. Why not let people take a subscription, give them a list of camera locations and let them choose viewing angles at will? To be able to whip up a quick look at Schumacher’s pirouette in turn 2 would be worth a lot to me, whether on or off the track, and even on a small screen. It beats missing because you were looking elsewhere. Same for soccer matches, or any other sports. Oh and one thing: keep it simple.

Pricing
Last but not least, my biggest wish for the New Year: simple, comprehensible pricing.

Sometimes I think that modern technology has spread too fast. It’s reached a large part of the population before it matured in terms of user-friendliness and unobtrusiveness. Use your phone for anything but a simple call, you’re in a pricing minefield. Try to work out what it will cost, and you’re lost.

This was already problematic, but it’ll get worse. Much, much worse. Soon, the nerds at M1 or SingTel will try to stuff separate rates down our throats for domestic calls, foreign calls, roaming calls, text messages in the same three versions, data downloads in threefold, not to mention things like subscription fee, caller ID, roaming fee, and scores of other added-value services. I predict a consumer revolt, sooner or later.

It can’t be said often enough. Keep things simple. Avoid unnecessary complications. If your mother understands what you’re doing, you’re on the right track. If she doesn’t, go back and try again.