Friday, May 13, 2005

W3C + Mobile = Huh?

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2005/05/13/w3c_punts_mobile_web/

Unlike other Accessibility initiatives, cell access to content will likely be driven by market. In the US, about 60 percent have a cell phone. In some parts of the world, that ownership is higher, but there is consolodation in technology (GSM). I think this is one of the reasons we are behind the rest of the world. There is no impetus for cell providers here to offer mass market solutions for access to web and other data driven content -- they are more interested in going after that last 40 percent, and buying each other out. In Europe and Asia, it's different. Everyone offers similar technology.

Overseas, there is more drive for cell provider differentiation -- competition to offer additional services. WAP and dumb short-sited solutions don't work because it is driven by content, and content creators won't develop for a perceived smaller market. People want access to network delivered content because the are spoiled by having that access in their offices and at home.

It is also Generational.
Our own student population ownership of cell phones is around 90% here at NCSU. Admittedly, the majority of them use them for one thing -- voice. Data services here are minimally used -- I would guess photo sharing would be fairly high. SMS is not quite as prevalent as UK, but it's there. Games are the biggest secondary use of cell phones for 20-somethings.

I think the cell phone carriers will end up being involved to ensure that new data-driven services work well with their phones -- Voice plan plus data plan equals more money. Video on demand, Video Conferencing, Meetup services, Mobile Blobgging, Image sharing, etc. The next big one is data services -- you need to look no further at the directions that Google and Yahoo are moving in.

I wish that the w3c would do more -- but I think this one is going to be driven by the cell phone companies and content creators. The good news is that publishing models like Blogs make it easy to make content that is accessible and Accessible. The fusion of these publishing models is no accident.

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