Hi Daniel,
I agree with you, but I am getting to hear of a few successful
enterprise segments in Japan too. The approach they have taken sounds
quite opposite to the US/European philosophy of doing business. Focus on
simple technologies and then developed complex and diverse applications.
This can only be achieved once the user adaptability and comfort/need
has been established in the newly launched segment.
For example; I think, sending maps/navigation information as email
attachments by Toshiba & Matsushita is a brilliant idea. They can
then/now, easily scale the functions into more complex calculator
applications for their registered users by which users can calculate the
shortest destination route - minimum time - lowest cost & the best train
at any time of the day. This can then be followed by the destination
area map. The question is, are they pursuing this ...
US, as always, will lead the enterprise segment. They are just too
strong / matured in the enterprise segment and they can handle complex
technologies very comfortably. By 2005, the number of U.S. corporate
mobile Internet users will be about 32 million, and the number of U.S.
corporate PC users will be 105 million, according to Goldman Sachs and
Dataquest. By 2004, Gartner predicts that corporations will need to
provide support for at least three devices per knowledge worker. These
are just a few foot-notes explaining the movements in Mobile Internet at
US.
Presently, I am with the impression that the US enterprise market might
give the Japanese market a short in the arm a while later, but for now,
if players like Docomo and KDDI can come up with strong business
applications / openness --- they can create a huge difference and
position in the global mobile enterprise segment.
Financials, Automobile, Navigation services, Pharmaceuticals can be a
great place to begin with ... Aligning with IBM,s and SAP's might not
help them much. Rather if they focus on aligning / co-hosting ASP models
of individual wireless applications developed by small local and
regional developers -- that could make the 'dent in the wall'. I did
hear of DOCOMO choosing Lucent to focus on the design, development and
manufacturing. Lucent is one of the first companies chosen by NTT DoCoMo
to work with it to develop third-generation systems, which are
high-speed, multimedia wireless communications systems. If the same
approach is taken for multiple developers/development companies with
specific application areas charted out --- this could be a killer within
no time at all -) Though, Sun and Openwave plays a good role here, I
think a open Docomo development community might help more.
i-Mode has also achieved a very high level of access / acceptance in the
global market. This being agreed, e-business and enterprise application
market can easily be absorbed to its strengths by forging a strong
alliance and community approach. They are already moving towards a
alliance based promotional model in Germany -- but, a lack of openness
towards application community is still a hindrance. If there data/phone
costing model can be cupped with a strong ROI oriented business case by
a partner company --- they can make miracles.
One more thought knocks me quite strongly, that the base of Mobile
success in Japan is build over the collaborative approach of phone
makers, portals, content providers, transaction services and wireless
service providers. This model suggest more of a community approach,
rather than a entity approach. Are there currently any such
association/forum/conference/seminar operating in Japan between carriers
like NTT DoCoMo, KDDI, J-Phone with SUN/Microsoft/Oracle/IBM --
Openwave/other development houses/ -- Qualcomm
Brew/MobileBuilder/AppForge/i-ModeZ/Skygo/--
Lucent/Qualcomm/Toshiba/Matsushita/NEC & Bit Cash, NTT, Japan Net Bank
on the other end; discussing the challenges, rewarding innovative
business applications, undertaking need assertion projects for large
corporations, etc... This can be a great way to drive faster development
in this sector.
These are just a few thoughts! Un-structured obviously.
Cheers!
Sunny Ghosh
Bangalore, India
-----Original Message-----
From: keitai-l-bounce@appelsiini.net
[mailto:keitai-l-bounce@appelsiini.net] On Behalf Of Daniel Helmer
Sent: Monday, May 27, 2002 5:57 AM
To: keitai-l@appelsiini.net
Subject: (keitai-l) How mature is the mobile enterprise segment in Japan
Hi Sunny,
>But, as time / technology demands, its time to move on --- & most
> >companies are trying to scale their preliminary menu driven functions
> >into full-fledged applications. The masters of quality, & process
> >movement in the world, Japan, is no way going to leave this space
>un->touched ...
I think it's fair to say that Japan is in no better position than
anybody
else to take a lead in this market. They may not even be able to
capitalize
on the advanced stage of consumer mobile Internet services.
Reason is, mobile enterprise is a completely different ballgame. There
is no
coincidence that the US is in the forefront of this market - not because
an
advanced wireless market (beacuse it is not), but its the most advanced
e-business and enterprise application market. For the same reason, Japan
is
less likely to lead the charge here. The fixed internet apps market is
not
particularly advanced, and until they get that one sorted out, it does
not
make huge sense to add mobile functionality (at least not from a
productivity or ROI perspective).
Once they do, the carriers need to be able to offer the usual MS Office,
ERP
from SAP and supply-chain stuff. It will be wireless-enablement of
existing
enterprise apps and processes that will drive this market. And they need
systems integrators with vertical industry expertise to sell and
implement
the whole thing at the enterprise. A new interesting 'ecosystem' will
evolve, I'm sure. DoCoMo is already elaborating with the likes of IBM,
SAP,
PeopleSoft and has announced they want an SI partner, so things are
moving
in Japan too...
At the moment (in Japan and elsewhere), it's very much a 'wait and see'
attitude among enterprises when it comes to mobile solutions.
Cheers,
Daniel Helmer
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Received on Mon May 27 17:20:49 2002