Mobile Market Stronger Than Expected
EL SEGUNDO, Calif. – Sales of mobile phones are up worldwide and may surpass last year's total sales figures by more than 100 million units, according to market intelligence firm iSuppli Corp. Based on sales figures in the first half of 2004, the company expects worldwide shipments of wireless handsets to surpass 625 million this year. The volume in 2003 was 520.8 million units.
Handset makers sold 152.5 million mobile phones in the first quarter of 2004 and 155 million during the second quarter. iSuppli projects sales for the third and fourth quarters to reach 156 million and 161.5 million, respectively.
As was the case in 2003, upgrades account for much of the volume, the company told ZDNet. iSuppli expects upgrades to represent as much as 73 percent of global sales this year. By 2008, upgrade sales fueled by increasingly elaborate features will account for almost 90 percent of worldwide handset sales, the company predicts. Camera phones already account for more than 25 percent of all handset sales. Price cutting competition among the major manufacturers also contributed to the sales figures for the first half of 2004, iSuppli said, and represented a market-wide drop in average price of 4.1 percent.
Get Ben Dover on the Phone
FAREHAM, England – Lindsay Honey – better known in the adult video industry as actor and director Ben Dover – will begin distributing his video catalog and new footage formatted for viewing on mobile devices through an arrangement with U.K.-based Symbios Group.
Set to debut in August in the U.K., the new service will offer the adult mobile market the chance to view exclusive, new, and unreleased footage via mobile platforms through a purchase by text service across all major networks. Distribution across European and U.S. networks is also planned.
A popular brand name, Dover's films are available on the Internet, from retail shops, and on cable television's The Fantasy Channel. Dover is listed by Larry Flynt's Hustler magazine as one of the 50 most influential people in the porn industry.
"Ben Dover is one of the first major brands with the right vision, positioning, and popularity in the adult market, confirming the reasons why these new services are set to be a huge success," said Martin Montague, sales director for Symbios. "We plan to take the Ben Dover brand and give it access to new distribution channels setting the standard for the adult industry."
Founded in 2001, Symbios Group receives more than 80 million unique visitors per year across its Websites, as well as holding a large bank of exclusive adult mobile content. Symbios Group also has used its billing and distribution services for other sectors of the market, including TV presenters Hayley Finch and Sammi Jayne, and Page Three models such as Michele Thorn, Alana, Autumn, and Jenna. The company says it holds a significant share of the mobile adult content market, an industry which is estimated to be worth an annual EUR4.8 billion by 2009 (source: Visiongain, 2004).
Wi-Fi Carriers to Share Access
CYBERSPACE – It's been slow to materialize, but Wi-Fi carriers finally are beginning to sign roaming agreements similar to those common in the cell phone market. Customers should begin to benefit from the arrangements almost immediately, eventually finding themselves able to roam between high-speed wireless access networks without losing connections or incurring exorbitant fees.
Sprint has been particularly active in signing roaming agreements. Last week, the carrier and SBC agreed to share networks, though terms of the agreement were not disclosed. What is significant for customers of the two companies, however, is that they now have expanded coverage for wireless Internet surfing. Sprint also has deals with AT&T Wireless, STSN, and Wayport.
Wayport, which owns 1,000 hot spots in hotels and airports, also has signed agreements with AT&T Wireless and Verizon. AT&T Wireless and T-Mobile signed a pact in February.
T-Mobile to Offer First Wi-Fi Phone
BELLEVUE, Wash. – Next month, T-Mobile USA and Hewlett-Packard Co. will launch the first truly Wi-Fi phone and pocket PC rolled into one.
Weighing in at a mere 6-ounces, the HP iPAQ h6315 is a voice calling, Wi-Fi hotspot finding, wireless emailing, Internet connecting, instant message chatting, MP3 playing, picture taking, keypad typing, 64MB data storing powerhouse. The iPAQ h6315 is the first all-in-one wireless device to include built-in GSM global phone capabilities with integrated GPRS wireless data, Wi-Fi (802.11b) wireless broadband, and Bluetooth™ functionality to allow customers to easily navigate and wirelessly communicate through e-mail, text messaging, Internet, and phone calls.
The lightweight HP iPAQ h6315 coupled with the muscle of T-Mobile's national GSM/GPRS wireless voice and high-speed data network, as well as the T-Mobile HotSpot Wi-Fi Internet service at more than 4,700 U.S. locations, delivers a winning combination that allows customers to leave the office behind and stay connected on their terms.
T-Mobile and HP were also able to realize the first HP iPAQ Pocket PC with out-of-the box wireless e-mail and messaging functionality for both consumer and heavyweight enterprises. The HP iPAQ h6315 is uniquely optimized for quick, hassle-free, wireless email connectivity.
"Together, T-Mobile and HP have created a simple, yet powerful, all-in-one solution for mobile professionals to stay connected without missing what's important in life," said Scott Ballantyne, vice president of business services marketing for T-Mobile USA, Inc. "With the iPAQ h6315 customers will have all the power of their office in the palm of their hand."
"As we enter an era where mobile professionals demand access to all relevant resources, HP and T-Mobile have combined their strengths to deliver a knockout wireless solution that goes beyond today's basic text-based e-mail messaging and gives customers greater access to their inbox, calendar, contacts along with wireless broadband and voice capabilities and more," said Rick Roesler, vice president of Handhelds at HP.
Not wanting to bombard the customer with multiple pricing schemes or bills, T-Mobile worked with HP to present a simplified buying experience. From beginning to end, the customer will be provided one point of contact for the entire process including activation, billing and support, regardless of where the product was purchased.
The HP iPAQ h6315 will be available at T-Mobile-owned stores, select national retail partners, select T-Mobile authorized dealers, hpshopping.com and the HP SMB Store. Estimated U.S pricing is $499.99 with T-Mobile activation. Customers wishing to pre-order the device can register at t-mobile.com.
Big Party for Small Screens
KIRKLAND, Wash. – Mobile phone subscribers can keep beach party fun going all year by downloading images, videos, and other entertainment featuring their favorite male or female Bikini.com models to their mobile phones using GignoSystem America's content delivery distribution network. The service will be available to subscribers through select mobile operators during the summer of 2004.
Bikini.com, the pop hit Website celebrating fun in the sun and the beach lifestyle, will be providing photos and edited video segments featuring the beautiful Bikini.com Supermodels. The photos and videos will range from behind-the-scenes looks at the making of Bikini.com calendars to exclusive profiles of the Bikini.com Supermodels shot in exotic locations around the world. The Bikini.com Supermodels have been catapulted into "cyber-celebrity status" by the popularity of their websites at Bikini.com and television appearances, and they receive thousands of fan letters from around the world from as far away as Croatia and China.
Also featured on the service will be The Bikini.com Boys, the company's male models, who are the teen idols of the beach.
In addition to viewing high-quality images, videos, and animated photos of their favorite male or female models, subscribers can also download calendars, send Bikinigrams to friends or family members, check out style tips for the beach, and find their next vacation hot spot. They can also send fan mail to their favorite models, or participate in the Bikini.com Model Search using their camera phone.
"Bikini.com, with its ever-popular subject matter and large fan following of both guys and girls, is the ideal mobile entertainment brand," said Howard Sonnenschein, president of Bikini.com. "We are delighted to be developing a wireless subscription service with GignoSystem America, and are confident that consumers will love the exciting and fun Bikini.com mobile experience."
