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Hello Kitty May Be Key to 3G Survival
wa4osh writes "It's scary to think that sophisticated 3G mobile systems may depend for their survival on Hello Kitty (a cutesy Japanese pink cat with whiskers but no mouth) according to the recent Commdesign article "Hello Kitty may be key to 3G success". The article suggests that 3G's main market is downloading ringtones and backgrounds. Reading between the lines, it also suggests that 3G did not find a killer application. For example, what happened to 3G Video phones, or using 3G to send video clips to each other? These are all things that can be done with today's 2.5G technologies - GPRS and 1XRTT. So what's 3G really for? Perhaps Wi-Fi / 802.11 is solving the real need for broadband data mobility." The Wall Street Journal has an article which suggests that cellular companies are turning to Wi-Fi to hedge their bets.
For example, what happened to 3G Video phones, or using 3G to send video clips to each other? These are all things that can be done with today's 2.5G technologies - GPRS and 1XRTT.
True they *can* be done with other technologies, but I think that the point is that people just don't need to do this stuff, with *any* technology. It's still just gee-whiz stuff without any real purpose outside of, "check out my new toy, Bob!".
I, for one, don't understand how major companies with gigantic R&D and marketing budgets can proceed to spend billions on infrastructure without doing just a bit of market research first. I think that asking a few thousand people, "Would you use a video phone if it cost this much?" would cost a few grand, and would very quickly tell them what they needed to know. Sounds like these companies didn't even do that much.
Sure it would be cool with video-phones and all that, but I'm not going to pay 10x the price for something I can't use because none of my friends have it, and batteries will die after a few minutes.. :P
I prefer my cheap old Nokia 6150 which I use to make phonecalls (surprise!) and send SMS with. Batteries last for about a week with normal usage.
My other account has a 3-digit UID.
3G's main market is downloading ringtones and backgrounds
This focus on non-core functionality is rampant throughout the technical industry. Take MP3 players for example; the main feature of MP3 players (winamp, Musicmatch etc.) nowadays in skinning.
Who cares what the music quality is, as long as I can make my player look like Tux it must be good.
There's so much crap out there, I don't understand why designers don't try to make their product stand out by actually working properly instead of looking pretty.
Ask yourself the question.
Would you pay £4 ($6) per half-megabyte for GPRS in the UK?
I wouldn't. I don't.
Normal people just don't want to pay that much.
Get your own free personal location tracker
As soon as it becomes cheap enough for 3G to survive...
People don't like spending their money, and since the economy is in a slump, they are going to be even more uncertain about spending it on a product they don't really need.
3G means faster internet, etc. But, unless the users have the money to pay the price required, 3G won't move far...
But the concept of 3G will survive in some form or another until it becomes cheap enough for the casual user to purchase a 3G device.
Hello Kitty works in Japan, because the market is different there. In the States, Europe and Canada, either something that will get the consumers willing to pay the extra bucks is needed, or just plain old time, so the price of the 3G devices go down.
~ kjrose
Just gimme an IP address.
I'll roll my own content and killer app.
Thanks.
Third Generation networks will be adopted, no question, because the large mobile players have the financial ability to push it to their customers and customers have a willingness to try it.
The long-term profitability of 3G technology, however, depends on if it can drive new users to mobile technology and if it will inspire current users to spend more money using wireless service.
Right now, 3G is used for downloading ringtones, sending small pictures and faster mobile web. Great! . . . but I, as a mobile telephone user, could care less about those things. Mobile web . . . the killer app? Gag me. I got on the "mobile web" with Verizon, simply because it was included as a "bonus." After using it, I can definitely say that I'd never pay for it, because it provides no real value.
For 3G technology to be successful in the long run, wireless companies must provide a data service that compliments and adds real value to mobile telephone service.
Well, I prefer business models depending on Hello Kitty to business models depending on Hello Pussy - any day!
.-)
Unfortunately, I think the latter will be the real killer application. Yes - once again - gampling and pornography will save a new technology. It is saddening that the human race can only get viable business models from decadency. But hey - the phones are cool!
Pawlo.com
I think part of the reason Japan has had such rapid adoption of i-mode or 3G features is that most japanese face a long commute using mass tranit. Cramped in a small space you don't have much else to do. I-Mode is well suited to pass the time.
How many soccer moms in SUV's do you want playing Tetris on thier phone in moring rush hour?
I don't believe infrastructure is the sole reason for slow uptake.
I think many many people dream of just using a laptop of PDA for true wireless internet access -- if the costs are reasonable.
Right now the wireless telcos are pricing themselves out of the market.
It's scary to think that sophisticated 3G mobile systems may depend for their survival on Hello Kitty
What is your motivation for reading slashdot? Fun?Leisure? What is your motivation in 90% of your day? Fun? Leisure? Nothing scary in it other than the fact that people do not realize it.
If you did a market survey in say 1870; "Would you install a phone if it cost $xx?", what would the answer be?
Or in 1992: "Would you be on the internet if it cost $xx?"
The point is, you need to create demand for such services. A market survey is worth nothing if you ask for something the participants do not know what is.
Who said it was the children who liked Hello Kitty?
I know plenty of *women* who like Hello Kitty stuff.
Also, in Japan, cute = user friendly. Hello Kitty = cute.
If you want something to sell in Japan, paint it Hello Kitty Pink.
Even in games people do this... In Half-Life people care a lot about their custom "spray decals" that others see. In another game called SubSpace people take pride in their tiny 12x8 'banners' and in their 'audio taunts'. And on websites like DeviantArt people actually PAY to have their user icons made professionally.
--
Power to the Peaceful
Okay that sentence was retarded, forgive me, I typed that post hastily as I had to run out and grab some dinner. It should read "MP3s have been one of the killer apps for broadband internet". Don't ask me what the fuck the web has to do with it, since these days most MP3s are leeched from Kazaa et. al. Though if you remember the old skewl days, we used to have scour.net and other great web-based MP3 leeching systems. Back in 98 and 99 when I was in college we used to download MP3s off the web all the time.
This is the whole problem with 3G, why I don't own any stock for companies having anything to DO with 3G, and I why I think 3G is a big sick joke. Here in Canada, I have a digital phone, filled with lame ass options that cost a fortune to use (so I never use them). I don't really need to check a stock quote from my phone, and certainly not at $0.50/minute (or worse). They might as well not be there - this is an important observation.
The phone companies want to bend you over for the service, then bend you over AGAIN for the content. It makes too much sense just to give you an IP - then they can't profit at every turn. I really don't understand why they don't get this. In Japan, i-Mode services MADE the digital network there. People can add their own little stupid things, and whatever is trendy, gets used. This is "revolutionary" and "radical" thinking. I hope the telcos get burnt even worse than they are now - they've effectively STOPPED (wireless) infrastructure development here. I can't complain too much about broadband, but it will never exist where I live in the woods.
There's a gotcha that the telcos don't know about though. It has to do with those "Features" my phone has I never use, and don't even consider because they cost so much to use. It's about to bite them in the ass, hard. What's that? It's the social use and acceptance of technology. In North America, most people associate the cellular phone with voice calls. Period. Different in europe and asia, but not here. Cell == Voice. No association with data.
If 802.11 takes off in a big way - all indicators are it will, it's great stuff - then the social acceptance of that technology will happen. People will associate "mobile wireless" with a 802.11 enabled PDA or notebook. They won't think about using mobile wireless services the way they use a cell phone - they'll just expect it as a feature of where they happen to be, offered by a mall, coffee place, school, office. It won't be the cell phone providing that connectivity.
Once that gets entrenched, it's all over for 3G wireless. I think it's already stillborn.
I hope the WiFi people take these people to the cleaners. Bend THEM over. Own your own infrastructure. WiFi gives people what they want, and you know what, $300 for an access point - or even $1000 for a few - isn't really that much compared to what equivilant service would cost me, if it ever happens. When infrastructure is cheaper than service, ya gotta start asking questions.
Maybe I'm wrong. 3G is a non-issue in my life, though.
My $0.02 (cdn)
..don't panic