The Future of Pc/Mobile Convergence: Competing technologies and emerging business models for the mobile Internet

The Future of Pc/Mobile Convergence: Competing technologies and emerging business models for the mobile Internet published by Business Insights in March, 2010. This report consists of 154 pages and the price starts from US $ 2875.

Introduction

Abstract

The global mobile phone industry has been extremely successful in the past decade, with an average year-on-year subscriber growth of 24%. While the market has reached saturation in the more developed countries, it is still growing strongly in developing countries due to a combination of cheaper mobile phone handsets and the relative lack of fixed line infrastructure. Mobile operators therefore face two challenges: how to maintain or stimulate demand in the mature markets and secure a new client base and acquire market share in the developing markets. There were an estimated 1.2bn computers in use worldwide at the end of 2008 with mobile PCs driving the current and future computer expansion although general PC growth is slowing. As is the case with the mobile phone industry, the bulk of the installed base (nearly 60%) can be found in mature markets. However, developing countries will increasingly account for a larger share of the global installed base and PC penetration is expected to double by 2013. The lines have become more and more blurred between the mobile phone industry and computer industry with consumers demanding more portability and mobility, processing capability and access to data and applications anywhere and at any time. The availability of multifunctional devices such as smartphones with cloud computing capacities and portable PCs with integrated mobile technology able to access 3G, EDGE and other mobile networks for data transfer is further contributing to the convergence between the PC and mobile markets. This report provides an overview of the market trends, technological and regulatory changes that are shaping PC/mobile convergence. It also identifies the current issues influencing the convergence between PC and mobile technologies while describing the converged products and services available today and in the future. The report analyzes the threats and opportunities posed by the convergence as well as the industry players' strategies to exploit the convergence, identifying successful business models and showing how new battlegrounds are developing between vendors in the space.

Table of Contents

Executive summary

• Market overview
• The competitive landscape shaping convergence
• Emerging converged products and services
• Leading player strategies
• The future of PC/mobile convergence

Chapter 1 - Introduction

• Introduction
• Who is this report for and what is it about?

• Definitions
• 3G
• Convergence
• Desktop PC
• EDGE
• GSM
• HSPA
• LTE
• Mobile broadband
• Mobile internet
• Notebook
• Netbook
• Wi-Fi
• WiMAX

Chapter 2 - Market overview

• Summary
• Introduction

• From desktop computing to mobile computing
• Desktop computing is in decline but remains an important ICT segment
• Portable devices are challenging desktop computers
• The recession hits desktop PCs sales hard
  • The PC industry is adapting to the new trend
• Usage of mobile computing services is set to increase

• Mobile telephony: from GSM to 3G
• Mobile telephony is the most popular ICT service in the world
• The developing countries lead the mobile telephony boom
• Mobile data services revenue is on the rise as usage increases
• 3G Mobile technologies drive PC/mobile convergence

• Wi-Fi versus 3G
• Wi-Fi is cheaper for both the operator and mobile user
• Congestion is the main issue with Wi-Fi
• Cost issues
• Ease of use

Chapter 3 - The competitive landscape shaping convergence

• Summary
• Introduction

• Trends and drivers
• Consumers are mobile and demanding
• The shift from voice to data services forces new strategies
• Lack of fixed infrastructure in developing countries benefits mobile ICT
  • Internet penetration in Africa
• ICTs remain more expensive in developing countries
• Price competition is key
  • Falling ARPU leads to converged service offerings
  • User-generated content and social networking blurs the line between
  • IT and telecoms services
• The impact of the recession was milder than feared

• Regulatory drivers and barriers
• European Union initiatives
• The Federal Communications Commission (FCC)
• CDMA Development Group (CDG)
• International Telecommunications Union (ITU)
  • Connect a Child Connect a Community
  • Connect Africa
• Third Generation Partnership Project (3GPP)
• The GSM Association (GSMA)
• The Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF)
• LTE SAE Trial Initiative (LSTI)
• Voice over LTE - One Voice initiative
• Next Generation Mobile Networks (NGMN) alliance
• Regulatory situation regarding radio spectrum allocation
  • In Europe
  • In the US

• Convergence technologies and standards
• EDGE
• Evolved EDGE / EDGE Evolution
• HSPA (High Speed Packet Access / 3.5G)
• HSPA+ (evolved HSPA / HSPA Evolution)
• Combining HSPA and EDGE
• Long Term Evolution (LTE)
• LTE advanced
• WiMAX
• CDMA (Code Division Multiple Access)

• Main challenges to PC/mobile convergence
• Limitations of mobile computing
  • Recommendations
• Limitations of mobile telephony
  • Recommendations

Chapter 4 - Emerging converged products and services

• Summary
• Introduction

• Mobile broadband
• Mobile broadband is increasingly popular
• Mobile broadband penetration is lower in developing countries
• Mobile VoIP
• Voice over Wi-Fi
• Multiplay devices
  • Handsets and smartphones
  • Notebooks and netbooks
  • Tablet PCs

Chapter 5 - Leading player strategies

• Summary
• Introduction

• Google
• PC/mobile convergence is a huge opportunity for Google
• Making partnerships to play in both the software and hardware fields
• Identifying market shifts and trends
• Opportunities through mobile advertising

• Apple
• The huge success of the iPhone and the App Store
• Expansion into mobile advertising and search
• Mixed reactions to the iPad
• Opportunities in mobile VoIP

• Microsoft
• Microsoft is struggling in the mobile market
• Windows Mobile does not meet consumer expectations
• Microsoft' s shifting mobile strategy
• Targeting emerging markets

• Nokia
• Strategies to make up for lost ground
• Competing at both ends of the market
• Closing the app gap
• Sticking with Symbian while developing Maemo
• Preparing for the cloud

• Motorola
• Bouncing back and restructuring
• Positioning as a leader in converged services
• Building partnerships
• Identifying successful future technologies
• Mobile applications development
• Capitalizing on social networking and music

• Acer
• Aiming to dominate the portable computing market
• Mobile strategy
• Pricing strategy
• Emulating Apple
• Partnerships to aid growth
• Launching the Acer app store

• Huawei
• Successful low pricing strategy
• Shifting the business model towards innovation in LTE
• Innovation in consumer electronics

• Verizon Wireless
• Reinventing its networks
• LTE deployment
• Partnerships to drive app sales
• New offers for customers
• Verizon' s new pricing strategy looks set to be a success

• Vodafone
• Shifting towards a new strategic direction
• Opportunities in mobile Internet
• Opportunities in mobile music
• Taking advantage of smartphones, new payment plans and the 3G network

• Vendor summary

Chapter 6 - The future of PC/mobile convergence

• Summary
• Introduction

• The future of PC/mobile convergence
• Mobile broadband and data services will drive growth in mature markets
• Competition between mobile operating systems will intensify
• Emerging business models
  • Fully converged
  • Semi converged
• Advances in enabling technologies drive growth
• Mobile VoIP solutions will be deployed as part of mobile operators' move to 4G
• PC/mobile convergence will accelerate cloud computing adoption
• The importance of the digital dividend and spectrum availability
• Emerging markets will provide growth opportunities

Index

List of Figures

• Figure 2.1: Global computing market ($bn), 2009-2014
• Figure 2.2: Mobile connections and penetration in Africa, 2008-2014
• Figure 2.3: Mobile connections and penetration in Asia-Pacific, 2008-2014
• Figure 2.4: Fixed phone lines in Africa (m), 2008-2014
• Figure 2.5: Global fixed voice lines and revenue, 2009-2014
• Figure 2.6: Global mobile data services revenue share, 2009
• Figure 2.7: Total global mobile services revenues ($bn), 2008-2013
• Figure 2.8: Wi-Fi hotspot market share (%), 2007-2008
• Figure 3.9: Total global mobile phone shipments (m), 2009-2014
• Figure 3.10: Internet penetration (% of population with a connection), 2006-2009
• Figure 3.11: Global mobile voice and data revenue share, 2009
• Figure 3.12: Available HSPA devices, Dec 2009
• Figure 3.13: Global LTE subscriptions (m), 2012-2015
• Figure 3.14: WiMAX users by region (m), 2007-2102
• Figure 3.15: WiMAX user penetration by region (%), 2007-2012
• Figure 3.16: Global 3G+ Subscribers forecast by technology family, 2013
• Figure 4.17: Fixed and mobile broadband subscribers (m), 2009-2014
• Figure 4.18: Consumer fixed and mobile broadband revenue ($m), 2009-2014
• Figure 4.19: Global broadband users, incl. mobile broadband (m), 2009-2014
• Figure 4.20: Wi-Fi certified handsets by type, March 2010
• Figure 4.21: Wi-Fi enabled phone shipments (m), 2007-2012
• Figure 4.22: Smartphone shipments by region (m), 2009-2014
• Figure 5.23: US smartphone market share by platform, Sep-Dec 2009
• Figure 5.24: Verizon total data revenue ($bn), Q3 2008, Q2 2009, Q3 2009
• Figure 5.25: Verizon total data ARPU ($), Q3 2008, Q2 2009, Q3 2009
• Figure 5.26: Vendor summary - Google, Apple, Microsoft
• Figure 5.27: Vendor summary - Nokia, Motorola, Acer
• Figure 5.28: Vendor summary - Huawei, Verizon Wireless, Vodafone
• Figure 6.29: Influences on the future of PC/mobile convergence
• Figure 6.30: Competing mobile operating systems' strengths and weaknesses
• Figure 6.31: Emerging PC/mobile convergence business models
• Figure 6.32: Global mobile cloud computing subscribers, 2008-2014
• Figure 6.33: Per capita PC penetration per region, 2008-2012

List of Tables

• Table 2.1: Global computing market ($bn), 2009-2014
• Table 2.2: Mobile connections and penetration in Africa, 2008-2014
• Table 2.3: Mobile connections and penetration in Asia-Pacific, 2008-2014
• Table 2.4: Fixed phone lines in Africa (m), 2008-2014
• Table 2.5: Global fixed voice lines and revenue, 2009-2014
• Table 2.6: Top ten mobile markets worldwide by subscriptions, data revenue and service revenue, 2009
• Table 2.7: Global mobile data services revenue share, 2009
• Table 2.8: Total global mobile services revenues ($bn), 2008-2013
• Table 2.9: Wi-Fi hotspot market share, 2007-2008
• Table 3.10: Total global mobile phone shipments (m), 2009-2014
• Table 3.11: Internet penetration (% of population with a connection), 2006-2009
• Table 3.12: PC ASPs in the US, 2008-2009
• Table 3.13: 37 Commercial HSPA+ networks launched by December 2009
• Table 3.14: 29 HSPA+ networks in deployment or planned
• Table 3.15: Global LTE subscriptions (m), 2012-2015
• Table 3.16: WiMAX* users by region (m), 2007-2012
• Table 3.17: WiMAX user penetration by region (%), 2007-2012
• Table 4.18: Consumer fixed and mobile broadband subscribers and revenue, 2009-2014
• Table 4.19: Global broadband users, incl. mobile broadband (m), 2009-2014
• Table 4.20: Wi-Fi certified handsets by type, March 2010
• Table 4.21: Wi-Fi phone shipments (m), 2007-2012
• Table 4.22: Smartphone shipments by region (m), 2009-2014
• Table 5.23: US smartphone market by platform, September-December 2009
• Table 6.24: Global mobile cloud computing subscribers, 2008-2014
• Table 6.25: PC penetration per region (PCs/1,000 people), 2008-2012

Press Release

PC and Mobile: How will the convergence drive future growth

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